Yankees at Indians
Travis Hafner looked pretty comfortable in his former home park and Robinson Cano snapped out of a power slump, giving the New York Yankees some hope for their first series victory. The Cleveland Indians will try to prevent that by evening the series when they host the Yankees on Tuesday. Hafner, who spent 10 seasons with the Indians before leaving as a free agent over the winter, homered and drove in four runs in Monday’s opener.
There is familiarity on both sides in the series, with former Yankee Nick Swisher joining the Indians over the winter along with longtime New York antagonist as the manager of the Boston Red Sox, Terry Francona. The Yankees’ injury-riddled lineup was not a good bet to hold up unless Cano broke out of his slump. After going 3-for-23 in the first six games, the All-Star broke out with a double and a pair of home runs in Monday’s 11-6 series-opening triumph.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Andy Pettitte (1-0, 1.13 ERA) vs. Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (2011: 8-9, 4.62)
Pettitte saved New York from being swept in its season-opening series against the Red Sox by allowing one run in eight innings. The 40-year-old issued only one walk in that outing and helped save a bullpen that had been worked hard over the first two games. Pettitte made one start against Cleveland last season and allowed two runs - one earned - and struck out seven in four innings before suffering a freak injury that would knock him out for nearly three months when he was hit by a comebacker and broke his fibula.
Carrasco’s separation from major league baseball has been much longer as the 26-year-old has been out since Aug. 3, 2011, after undergoing Tommy john surgery. The right-hander is taking over Scott Kazmir’s spot in the rotation and will be making his third career start against the Yankees. Carrasco is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in those two turns. Kazmir was put on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right rib cage.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians C Carlos Santana suffered a bruised right thumb in the ninth inning Monday and is day-to-day.
2. Yankees SS Eduardo Nunez (bruised biceps) was back in the lineup for the series opener after not starting the previous two games.
3. Swisher is 5-for-25 for his first seven games with Cleveland.