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NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eigth inning against Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Yankees during their game at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Yankees game 123: Missed opportunities costly in loss

Cleveland Indians 4 – New York Yankees 3

Opportunities presented before the Yankees slipped by in the series finale on a great day for a Core Yankee.

On a day that a fan favorite lefty was honored, the Yankees current lefty took the mound. After getting the first out, CC Sabathia surrendered a ground-rule double to deep left field. Sabathia got the second out but Carlos Santana got a hold of a poorly located 88 MPH fastball and put it in deep left center field for a two-run home run. Sabathia allowed two more to reach on a single and a walk but got out of the first inning with just two runs allowed.

In the first inning, Brett Gardner was walked with one out. Later with two outs, Gardner advanced to second on a very poor pickoff attempt by Trevor Bauer. Brian McCann went down swinging at a ball in the dirt to strand Gardner in scoring position.

In the second inning, CC allowed two to reach but a double play kept the Indians off the scoreboard. The Yankees threatened with two outs in the second inning when Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew walked but John Ryan Murphy flew out to center field to waste an opportunity.

After getting the first out in the third inning, CC Sabathia walked two batters before he got tough, striking out Yan Gomes on a 91 MPH fastball. The strikeout appeared to come at a price though when Sabathia was removed from the game due to an injury. It was revealed later on to be a right knee injury.

In 2 2/3 innings, CC Sabathia allowed two runs on four hits while walking four and striking out one.

In the bottom of the third, Jacoby Ellsbury started with a single. He proceeded to steal second base and Brett Gardner followed with a walk. On a 3-0 pitch, Carlos Beltran drove the ball to deep right field but it was caught shy of leaving the ballpark for the first out but Ellsbury advanced to third. On a steal of second base by Brett Gardner, catcher Gomes threw the ball away, allowing Ellsbury to score the Yankees first run of the game. Unfortunately, Brian McCann and Greg Bird struck out looking at strikes to end the inning.

Nick Rumbelow provided two innings in relief but ran into trouble in the fifth inning. A low throw following a diving stop by Chase Headley charged him with an error. Michael Brantley hit a single that put runners on the corners. Brett Gardner made one of the defensive gems of the day when he caught a fly out in left for the first out and threw home to get Mike Aviles trying to score from third for the double play. Rumbelow walked pinch-hitter Jason Kipnis intentionally and Branden Pinder came on with two on and one out. Yan Gomes walked to load the bases and Abraham Almonte walked on a high 3-1 count pitch, walking in a run and extending the Indians lead to two.

Branden Pinder faced difficult situations two innings of work, thanks to three walks and two hits but the biggest hit came in the seventh inning when Abraham Almonte hit a two-out triple to the right center gap. Chasen Shreve came in and struck out Jerry Sands to keep the game at 3-1.

Stephen Drew started the seventh inning with a walk against Trevor Bauer, who’s pitch count finally exceeded 100. Pinch-hitter Alex Rodriguez struck out to end Bauer’s day. Lefty Kyle Crockett came in to face the top of the order lefties. Jacoby Ellsbury answered the lefty-lefty matchup with a double to right field, putting two in scoring position with one out. Brett Gardner struck out against Crockett with some weak hacks to end Crockett’s short appearance. Bryan Shaw came in to face Carlos Beltran and the Yankees right fielder hit a ball off the end of his bat, getting it to fall into fair territory down the left field line.

It bounced into the crowd for a game-tying, two-run double.

Dellin Betances came on with the game tied in the eighth inning but started it with a leadoff walk. After starting the game as the designated hitter, McCann took over behind the plate after Murphy was pinch-hit for. Not showing any rust, McCann threw Urshela out trying to steal second. This proved to be huge when Francisco Lindor took Betances deep to the short porch.

For Betances, this was the first left-handed batter to take him deep in 301 at-bats.

The Yankees were unable to rally against Shaw or closer Cody Allen in a game that was filled with futility. The Yankees left eight on base and were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

 

Win – Bryan Shaw (2-2)

Loss – Dellin Betances (6-3)

Save – Cody Allen (26)

 

Notables

Indians

*Francisco Lindor – 3 for 5, R, Solo home run (7) in the 8th, RBI (27)

*Carlos Santana – 1 for 4, R, BB, Two-run home run (15) in the 1st, 2 RBI (59)

Yankees

*Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 5, 2 R, 2B

*Carlos Beltran – 1 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI (46)

 

Current Yankees Record: 68-54