Don Mattingly may have played his last home game for the New York Yankees on Sunday. He would have preferred a better ending.

Mattingly stranded five runners in two of his first three at-bats, and the Yankees gave up seven runs in the eighth inning to lose, 8-3, to the Detroit Tigers.

Mattingly's 14-year tenure with New York may not continue into 1996. His contract expires after this season, and Mattingly has said he doesn't expect the team to re-sign him.

One of the reasons he may not be back is his lack of run production and clutch hitting this year. That was evident in the first inning when he flied out to leave the bases loaded, and again in the fifth when he left runners at first and second.

Mattingly is batting .236 with runners in scoring position and .284 overall with six homers and 47 runs batted in. He received a standing ovation Sunday each time he came to bat.

"It felt good, but I'll still trade it for that first-inning at-bat," Mattingly said of the fans' cheers.

Mattingly also brought out the lineup card in place of Manager Buck Showalter.

"He told me it was an order. He's never ordered me to do anything since he's been here. I'm glad I did it, really," Mattingly said.

In the eighth, Andy Pettitte (11-9) was relieved after giving up three consecutive singles, and Travis Fryman hit reliever Bob Wickman's first pitch for a two-run single that tied the score, 3-3.

One out later, Steve Howe relieved Wickman and gave up a two-run double to pinch-hitter Alan Trammell. Tony Clark then hit his third homer, a two-run shot, to put the Tigers in front, 7-3, and Danny Bautista followed with his seventh homer on the next pitch. MILLER, GREG

Copyright, The Times Mirror Company; Los Angeles Times, 1995.