Yankees' six-run inning overcomes Indians
CLEVELAND -- The New York Yankees rode a six-run fifth inning and some sloppy defense by the Cleveland Indians to an 11-7 victory Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.
The Indians committed three errors which led to seven of the 11 runs allowed by Cleveland to be unearned. Jacoby Ellsbury had two hits, including a home run and three RBIs for the Yankees, who won three of four games in their series with the Central Division-leading Indians.
The Yankees went 5-5 on their 10-game trip to San Diego, Chicago and Cleveland and go into the All-Star break with a record of 44-44. The Indians (52-36) staggered into the All-Star break having lost six of their last nine games.
Nathan Eovaldi (7-6) pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, on one hit, to get the win.
Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (5-3) took the loss, pitching 3 2/3 innings, giving up five runs, but only one earned, and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
Masahiro Tanaka started for the Yankees but couldn't pitch the necessary five innings to qualify for the win.
New York took a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning, when the Yankees scored six runs in the top of the inning and the Indians scored six runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Yankees built their lead to 11-1 in the top of the fifth, sending 12 men to the plate against four Cleveland pitchers. An error by Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor made four of the six runs unearned. The other two runs came on sacrifice flies by Austin Romine and Brett Gardner.
In the bottom of the fifth, trailing 11-1, the Indians' rally began with a leadoff double by Carlos Santana off Tanaka. Jason Kipnis struck out, but Lindor doubled, scoring Santana. Mike Napoli singled Lindor to third, and a single by Jose Ramirez scored Lindor. Lonnie Chisenhall flied out for the second out.
Rajai Davis hit a grounder to shortstop Didi Gregorius, who threw wildly to first for an error. Napoli and Ramirez both scored to cut the New York lead to 11-5. Tyler Naquin then hit his ninth home run, a two-run blast over the wall in center field, to make it 11-7.
Both teams scored six runs in the inning, and because of errors both teams gave up four unearned runs in the inning.
New York took an early 4-0 lead in the second inning. Starlin Castro led off with a double. One out later Rob Refsnyder hit a grounder to Lindor at short. Lindor's throw to first was not caught by Santana. It went as a two-base error on Santana, allowing Castro to score and putting Refsnyder at second. Romine followed with a double to right field, moving Refsnyder to third.
Carrasco struck out Gardner, but Ellsbury hit a three-run home run over the center field wall to give New York a 4-0 lead.
An RBI single by Davis in the second inning cut it to 4-1.
NOTES: Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar will not pitch in the All-Star game due to mild elbow discomfort. The Indians announced he is expected to make his scheduled start on July 19 in Kansas City. ... Indians OF Michael Brantley will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Monday with Mahoning Valley (Ohio) in the short-season New York-Penn League. Brantley has been on the disabled list since May 14 with right shoulder inflammation. He had surgery in November to repair a torn labrum. ... Cleveland manager Terry Francona said the team's rotation coming out of the All-Star break will be RHP Carlos Carrasco, RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Josh Tomlin and RHP Corey Kluber. ... Yankees OF Carlos Beltran needs two RBIs for 1,500 for his career, and he's 12 short from tying Mickey Mantle (1,509) for 45th place on the all-time list. ... Yankees C Brian McCann leads all major league catchers in home runs with 14.