Cleveland Indians 4 — New York Yankees 7
Mark Teixeira got his first home run, a grand slam, in tonight’s 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Andy Pettitte started tonight’s game and got into some trouble in the third inning. A pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt put two in scoring position with one out. A ground out by former Yankee Nick Swisher would bring in the first run of the game but that would be all.
Justin Masterson started for the Cleveland Indians and was hoping to have a start similar to his May 13th start, a complete game shutout of the Yankees. In the third inning, after receiving a one-run lead, Reid Brignac and Austin Romine singled to lead off the inning. A walk of Brett Gardner would load the bases with no outs. Robinson Cano would ground into a force out at home that would get one out but the bases would remain loaded for Mark Teixeira. In his fourth game back, Teixeira would jump on the first pitch of the at-bat and hit a laser into the short porch of the Bronx. The first home run of the season for the Yankees All-Star first baseman is a grand slam that put the Yankees ahead 4-1. A three-run lead would normally be good enough for Pettitte.
Normally.
In the fifth inning, Pettitte would allow a lead off double and single. A sacrifice fly would cut the lead to two. A wild pitch and a pair of walks (eight straight balls) would load the bases. Carlos Santana would hit a ground ball to the right of third baseman David Adams that deflected off his glove and would exit the field of play. The ground-rule double brought in two runs and the lead was gone. As was Pettitte.
In 4.2 innings, Andy Pettitte allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Yankees would reclaim the lead in the sixth inning with some lapses in judgment by Justin Masterson. Ichiro Suzuki would lead off the inning with a walk but would be followed with two outs. Austin Romine would get his second hit of the game and his first career stolen base too. Remember, this is with two outs, Brett Gardner would single to center field and with Austin Romine as the trail runner, Justin Masterson cut off the throw going home that likely would have caught Romine at home, preventing the second run of the game from scoring. The lapses would be evident one more time when Masterson’s throwing error allowed Gardner to move to third but he would be stranded.
The bullpen was solid through 4.1 innings. Shawn Kelley followed Pettitte and walked one but struck out two in 1.1 innings. Joba Chamberlain would get the seventh inning and would walk one but struck out two as well. David Robertson had a perfect eighth inning and Mariano Rivera would shut the door for his 20th save of the season.
Turning 36, Travis Hafner celebrated his birthday with a blast in the seventh inning, his ninth home run of the season.
Win – Shawn Kelley (3-0)
Loss – Justin Masterson (8-4)
Save – Mariano Rivera (20)
Notables
Indians
*Carlos Santana – 2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI (24)
*Michael Bourn – 3 for 5, 2 R
Yankees
*Mark Teixeira – 1 for 3, R, BB, Grand Slam (1) in the 3rd, 4 RBI (4)
*Brett Gardner – 1 for 4, R, BB, 2 RBI (23)
Current Yankees Record: 32-25
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