Tanaka pitches Yankees past Indians
NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka pitched effectively into the seventh inning and on the day they officially announced the end of Alex Rodriguez's career, the New York Yankees recorded a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians Sunday.
With Rodriguez watching the game from the dugout in a jacket, Tanaka (8-4) allowed a run and six hits in six-plus innings.
Tanaka's performance came after Rodriguez gave an emotional press conference to a packed interview room following the announcement that the 41-year-old will be playing his last game Friday before becoming a special advisor and instructor with the Yankees.
Jacoby Ellsbury had a sacrifice fly, Didi Gregorius homered and Mark Teixeira had an RBI double for the Yankees (56-55), who are one game over .500 for the eighth time since the All-Star break.
Tanaka's day ended at 101 pitches when he allowed a double to Rajai Davis and walked off the mound to a standing ovation. Before allowing the hit to Davis, he needed 12 pitches before striking out Lonnie Chisenhall for the final out of the sixth.
The encounter with Chisenhall was one of a season-high eight strikeouts for Tanaka, who had a 7.94 ERA in his previous two starts. It also highlighted his 15th start of allowing two earned runs or less.
Davis scored Cleveland's first run when Roberto Perez singled off Adam Warren. Warren had runners on first and second following a throwing error by Gregorius at shortstop and a walk to Jason Kipnis but the inning ended thanks to a big defensive play from Texieira at first base.
Teixeira fielded a ground ball by Francisco Lindor and dove towards the bag as Lindor slid head first.
Dellin Betances recorded four outs for his second save.
After his wild pitch allowed Chisenhall to score Cleveland's second run in the eighth, he struck out Tyler Naquin with the tying run on second.
Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco (7-6) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings.
The Indians (62-47) lost for the fifth time in seven games and also had issues with plate umpire Lance Barrett's strike zone. Mike Napoli was tossed by Barrett in the eighth following a strikeout as he had glared towards Barrett, dropped his bat, argued and was ejected.
The Yankees took a 1-0 lead two batters in when Brett Gardner tripled and scored on Ellsbury's sacrifice fly. They added runs in the fourth and fifth when Gregorius homered into the lower rows of the right-field seats and Teixeira doubled over Davis' head in left field.
NOTES: The Yankees announced DH Alex Rodriguez will appear in his final game on Friday. After Friday's game, he will be unconditionally released from his contract to sign a contract to become a special advisor and instructor through Dec. 2017. "This is a tough day," Rodriguez said. "I love this game and I love this team. Today I'm saying goodbye to both." Rodriguez will be paid the remainder of his 10-year contract deal, worth approximately $28 million. Manager Joe Girardi said if Rodriguez wants to appear in each game, he will find a way to give him some playing time. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cleveland LHP Andrew Miller is the first pitcher to get a save against the Yankees and for the Yankees in the same season since Tippy Martinez with Baltimore in 1976.