No American League team seems to bring out the best in New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano more than the Cleveland Indians. Entering the third game of this four-game series on Wednesday, Cano is 7-for-10 with three homers and seven RBIs as the Yankees have pummeled the hosts by a combined 25-7 score. With his 4-for-6, five-RBI effort on Tuesday, the four-time All-Star is batting .367 – his highest average against any AL team – with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 54 career games against Cleveland.
The Indians, who scored 19 runs over the previous two games, are hoping for a bit more consistency at the plate after being held to one run or less for the third time in the last five games in Tuesday’s 14-1 drubbing. Asdrubal Cabrera’s solo home run kept Cleveland from getting shut out for the third time this season, but it was not nearly enough as the Indians lost for the fifth time in six games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN2, YES (New York), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (0-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. Indians TBA
Nova said that he didn’t feel he throw all that poorly in Friday's loss to Detroit, but he threw only 53 of his 96 pitches for strikes. The right-hander gave up four runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings in his first start, but fared much better than that in his only career outing against Cleveland in 2011. In that start, Nova allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings. Only Mark Reynolds (3-for-15) and Mike Aviles (2-for-8) have logged more than six at-bats against him.
Right-hander Brett Myers was scheduled to take the mound on Wednesday, but was called upon after Tuesday’s starter, Carlos Carrasco, was ejected after hitting New York’s Kevin Youkilis after surrendering a home run to Cano. Zach McAllister is scheduled to start Thursday, but he could be moved up a day and pitch on his normal rest after going six innings and allowing four runs - two earned - in a 4-0 loss at Tampa Bay on Friday.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees’ 14-1 victory was their largest margin of victory in Cleveland since 1931.
2. Youkilis became the first Yankee since Bob Watson in 1980 to hit safely in his first eight games with the club.
3. New York has belted eight homers against Cleveland after hitting seven over its first six games.
PREDICTION: Yankees 8, Indians 4