Jacoby Ellsbury launched a key home run to help the Yankees capitalize on an uncharacteristically sloppy day for the American League Central-leading Indians, who made three errors on Sunday afternoon as New York took full advantage in an 11-7 win at Progressive Field to wrap up the first half.
“It’s a positive thing. We beat a very good team three out of four games,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “To end up 5-5 on a road trip where it starts off pretty poorly, it’s good. Hopefully, we can carry this momentum to after the break.”
Thanks in part to some miscues behind him, right-hander Carlos Carrasco lasted only 3 2/3 innings for the Tribe, which dropped three of four in the series. Carrasco allowed five hits and five runs, but only one of the runs was earned.
“It seemed like the ball was going every different direction today, on a day when [Carrasco] probably needed help,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Carlos, it looked like right out of the gate, he was having trouble. He was having trouble finding a good feel for his offspeed.”
Ellsbury came through with a three-run blast off Carrasco in the second inning to help set the tone for a big offensive day for the Yankees. New York also piled on six runs in the fifth inning, and Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Mark Teixeira, Starlin Castro and Andrew Romine all ended with multihit days.
“We felt like we put good at-bats against those guys,” Beltran said. “There is no doubt that Cleveland has a great pitching staff. We were able to score runs against them. To be able to take three out of four really means a lot.”
The Indians did manage seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings against Yankees righty Masahiro Tanaka, who exited after allowing a two-run homer to rookie outfielder Tyler Naquin. That blast came during a six-run showing in the home half of the fifth by Cleveland, which could not complete the comeback bid.
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