No, after the Tigers beat the real Yankees — the MLB ones, located in the Bronx and pretty close to locking up the AL East title — in a back-and-forth slugfest, what mattered most to Gardenhire was where they won the game.

And though it hasn’t been the best season for Mercer — signed in December, he struggled with injuries in the first half while hitting below .200 —his experience was Gardenhire needed at the plate in that situation.

When he did, Willi Castro — who pinch-ran for catcher Grayson Greiner after he doubled into the left field corner with one out — scored for the win.

“Good thing we had a veteran up there that knew the strike zone, too, and Jordy put the ball in play and got the big hit for us.

Still, the Yankees' home runs — a few of them tape-measure shots — were no match for the game’s only error, when All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres dropped the exchange on what could have been an inning-ending double play in the Tigers’ six-run third inning.

More Stories MSU hoops lands 4-star big man Mady Sissoko Dave Dombrowski's end with Red Sox similar to his firing by the Tigers Tigers rally for wild walk-off win against Yankees, 12-11 ESPN's 30 for 30 on Dennis Rodman sheds light on his Pistons days Lions insider: Explaining what happened on play after timeout Collins: MSU starting RB job a dream come true