Yankees reliever Phil Coke, who had retired Curtis Granderson to start the inning, retired the side with no runs allowed.

Granderson is a left-handed batter who throws right-handed.

In appreciation for his efforts, Commissioner Bud Selig penned a thank-you letter to Granderson which read in part, " There are so many fine young men playing Major League baseball today, but I can think of no one who is better suited to represent our national pastime than you.

Granderson is one of a few players in MLB who wears his socks high, which he does to honor players from the Negro leagues.

Granderson hit two home runs during the 2006 American League Division Series and one in the 2006 American League Championship Series, but struggled in the 2006 World Series, batting. 095, as the Cardinals defeated the Tigers.

Granderson had his first career inside-the-park home run on September 15, a five-hit game September 18 and a walk-off home run on September 26 against the Chicago White Sox.

Granderson slugged. 938, drove in two runs, scored seven runs, and had fifteen total bases during Detroit's four-game series against the Seattle Mariners.

On August 7, Granderson became the second player in franchise history to have at least 30 doubles, 15 triples, 15 home runs, and ten stolen bases in a single season when he hit a double in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

On August 10, Granderson hit two home runs against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to tally a career-high 31 home runs.

Granderson, Robinson Cano, and Russell Martin all hit grand slams in a game against the Oakland Athletics on August 25, the first time a team had three grand slams in one game.

During his high school baseball career, Granderson batted. 369 with 11 home runs and 88 runs batted in ( RBI ), and was named an All-State selection his senior year.

From the start of his major league career in 2004, Granderson began a 151 game errorless streak, the longest by a position player to start his career since Dave Roberts went errorless in 205 games.

Although Swisher's totals dipped a bit from his 2010 career year, he still managed to hit. 260 and was one of four Yankees with at least 20 home runs ( after Granderson, Teixeira, and Cano ) and finished fourth on the team with 85 RBIs.

* Grant Turner ( born Jesse Granderson Turner ) was known as the " dean of the Opry announcers " and had a nearly 50-year association with the station, also announcing country music programs in the early morning hours.

The only other players to accomplish the feat are Willie Mays in 1957, Curtis Granderson in 2007, and Jimmy Rollins, also in 2007.

Granderson is also an avid fan of WWE, and attended WrestleMania 23 in Detroit.

Granderson was also voted one of the friendliest players in the Major Leagues, according to a poll conducted by Sports Illustrated to 290 players.

Although Granderson was not listed on the 2007 All-Star Game ballot, due to the Tigers ' decision to put Gary Sheffield as an outfielder on the ballot, he still received 376, 033 write-in votes, the most write-in votes for any player.

Granderson grew up in Lynwood, Illinois, a city south of Chicago.

As a child, Granderson grew up a fan of the Atlanta Braves, choosing not to root for the hometown Chicago Cubs because he often rushed home from school to watch Saved by the Bell and was disappointed when a Cubs game was on instead.

Bell came on in the 8th inning and gave up a triple to Curtis Granderson followed by a sacrifice fly to Adam Jones to make the score 4 – 3 in the American League's favor ; Bell was the losing pitcher in the game.

The Marlins were asked about ace Dontrelle Willis after his Cy Young caliber campaign in 2005 amid the " Market Correction " but rejected an offer from the Detroit Tigers that would have landed them now 4 × MLB All-Star and 2011 AL MVP pitcher Justin Verlander and five-tool outfielder Curtis Granderson, both prospects with some major league experience under their belt.

On August 6, 2007, he got his 1, 000th hit, knocking in Curtis Granderson with two out in the bottom of the first.

As a freshman at UIC in 2000, Granderson led the UIC Flames baseball team with seven home runs and 45 walks.

After his sophomore year, Granderson played in a summer collegiate league for the Mankato Mashers, now known as the MoonDogs, of the Northwoods League, where he batted. 328 in 44 games, with eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 17 RBI, 28 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases.

With the Seawolves, Granderson hit. 303 with 21 home runs and 93 RBI.

Granderson during his tenure with the Detroit Tigers in 2007

Through June, Granderson ranked first among American League ( AL ) outfielders in triples ( 14 ), third in doubles ( 22 ), tied for fourth in runs ( 58 ) and tied for 10th in homers ( 11 ) with a. 289 batting average in the 2007 season.

Granderson was named the AL Player of the Week on July 16, the first time he had won the award, as he hit. 500 ( 8 for 16 ) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run during that week.

Granderson hit. 302 with 23 home runs for the season, and was 26 for 27 in stolen base attempts.

Prior to the start of the 2008 season, the Tigers signed Granderson to a five-year, $ 30. 25 million contract with a club option for 2013.

Granderson continued hitting well during the 2008 regular season, finishing with a. 280 batting average, 13 triples and 22 home runs.

Although he missed some games due to a strained groin, Granderson finished the season with 136 games played, a. 247 batting average, and 24 home runs.

Granderson was named American League Player of the Month for August 2011, in which he batted. 286, with a. 423 on base percentage, slugged. 657, hit ten home runs, recorded 29 RBI, and scored 29 runs.

Granderson with the Yankees

Thames would see more regular starts in left when Curtis Granderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list, as well as a few starts in right field when Nick Swisher was sidelined with an injury.

In 2011, Swisher was moved down in the lineup to allow Curtis Granderson to hit second behind Derek Jeter and spent the majority of the season hitting sixth behind Robinson Cano.

In August 2011, Granderson and Mark Teixeira became the first Yankees teammates to hit 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961.

Granderson wrote a children's book, All You Can Be: Dream It, Draw It, Become It !, which was published in August 2009.

In August 2011, Teixeira and Curtis Granderson became the first Yankees teammates to have 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961.

On August 21, 2010, the streak ended when Kotchman mishandled a hard groundball hit by Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees.