DETROIT -- Alfredo Simon outdueled C.C. Sabathia and Yoenis Cespedes drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh as the Detroit Tigers topped the New York Yankees 2-1 Monday night at Comerica Park.

Simon (3-0), who has won all three of his starts, held the Yankees to one run on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings while striking out six. Joakim Soria collected his fifth save. Left fielder Cespedes and right fielder J.D. Martinez contributed run-scoring singles for the Tigers (11-2), who have the league's best record.

Sabathia (0-3), who was seeking his first win since April 24 of last season, allowed seven hits while going the distance. First baseman Mark Teixeira homered in the second for New York (6-7).

Sabathia faced the minimum through six innings despite giving up three hits and a walk. He induced three double-play grounders and picked off a runner.

That changed in the seventh when Detroit center fielder Rajai Davis led off with a single and advanced on a fly out. With two down, Sabathia intentionally walked designated hitter Victor Martinez to face J.D. Martinez. The strategy backfired when he lined a single past shortstop Didi Gregorius to tie the game at 1.

Cespedes then put the Tigers on top with a single to center, bringing home Victor Martinez.

Reliever Joba Chamberlain bailed the Tigers out of a jam in the eighth, retiring center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on a double-play grounder with runners at the corners.

Teixeira put the Yankees on top in the second when he ripped an 0-2 changeup into the right-field seats. The leadoff homer was his fourth of the season and the first allowed by Simon in three starts.

Detroit DH Victor Martinez, who had a long drive hauled in by left fielder Brett Gardner in the second, was robbed of an extra-base hit in the fifth on Ellsbury's diving catch in the gap.

NOTES: Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez was moved to the No. 3 spot in the order while RF Carlos Beltran was dropped to fifth. "Alex has been getting on base and doing everything that you want, so I just flip-flopped them for now," New York manager Joe Girardi said. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander, who is on the disabled list for the first time in his career, had an MRI on Thursday, according to team trainer Kevin Rand. The MRI confirmed that Verlander has a right triceps strain. He has not been throwing since cutting a simulated game short last Wednesday due to soreness. .... Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera leads all active players with a .708 slugging percentage against the Yankees. ... New York RHP Masahiro Tanaka will make his next start on four days' rest on Thursday afternoon, according to Girardi. Tanaka, who has a partially torn ligament in his pitching elbow, tossed seven shutout innings against Tampa Bay on Saturday.