The New York Yankees (65–36) ended their four-game series on the road against the Cleveland Indians (42–60) on Thursday night with an 11–4 win, featuring a seven-run seventh inning. The Yankees took three out of four games.
Dustin Moseley pitched a total of six solid innings for the Yankees after a hiccup in the first inning in his first start for the team. He gave up a lead-off double to Trevor Crow, then hit Asdrubal Cabrera and walked Carlos Santana to load the bases with one out.
The Indians then got on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly to right field by Austin Kearns, but Moseley prevented any more damage from being done by striking out Matt LaPorta on a full count. It was a 31-pitch inning.
After that Moseley settled down and finished the night throwing 53 strikes in 83 pitches with four strikeouts. He was relieved by David Robertson in the bottom of the seventh. It was his first win with the Yankees.
“That was the key to the game,” Derek Jeter told YES. “[Moseley] was able to get out of the first inning only giving up one run. After that he threw a lot of strikes, so he deserves all the credit today.”
The Yankees were 0–10 in hitting with runners in scoring position until Jeter singled on a line drive to center field to send Brett Gardner in from third base to bring the score to 2–1 in the sixth inning.
The Yankees broke it open in the seventh inning after finally hitting one out of the park with Robinson Cano blasting a homer to right field. It was Cano’s 20th homer of the season and put the Yanks up 3–1 with two outs.
Then everything fell apart for the Indians bullpen. Tony Sipp walked two hitters before being replaced by side-winder Joe Smith. By the end of the night, Cleveland pitchers walked a total of 12 Yankees.
Catcher Francisco Cervelli singled off Smith with a soft fly ball to center field, sending Nick Swisher in for another run.
Smith then hit Colin Curtis to load the bases, and walked Derek Jeter to bring in another Yankees run, still with two outs.
When the seventh inning was all said and done, Sipp and Smith had combined to give up five walks and four hits (one home run and three singles) for seven Yankees runs.
A-Rod at 599
Alex Rodriguez continues to pursue his 600th home run. A-Rod alone faced loaded bases three times, but until the seventh inning nothing was connecting. In the seventh, A-Rod hit a two-run single for his only hit of the night.
The Yankees added two more runs in the top of the eighth to bring the score to 11–1.
But the Indians went down fighting. Indians closer Andy Marte had a quick no-hit ninth inning, and then the Indians had a field day with Yankees closer Chan Ho Park in the bottom of the ninth.
Park got two quick outs but then walked three and gave up two singles to allow the Indians to score three runs.
The Yankees now head to down to Tampa to face their AL East rivals, the Rays. The Rays have the second best record in baseball and all three games are already sold out.
