The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Indians swept by Yanks, have lost 7 of last 10
Mike Clevinger went 7 1⁄3 innings in his first start against the Yankees, setting career highs.
NEW YORK » On a day when hits were hard to come by, rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres became the youngest Yankees player to hit a walk-off homer, a threerun shot in the ninth inning that gave New York a 7-4 win over the Indians on May 6.
The victory completed a threegame sweep. The Indians, who didn’t get a hit until the eighth inning, have lost seven of 10.
Mike Clevinger went 7 1/3 innings in his first start against the Yankees, setting career highs with 10 strikeouts and 116 pitches. He issued two of his four walks in the eighth as New York rallied.
Short in the bullpen, Manager Terry Francona called on closer Cody Allen, looking for a fiveout save. Allen gave up a two-out RBI single to Brett Gardner and an opposite-field, two-run double to right by Aaron Judge before retiring Gary Sanchez with two on.
Aaron Hicks and Neil Walker, who began the day batting .182, opened the ninth with consecutive doubles to tie it and chase Allen (2-1). One out later, pinchhitter Giancarlo Stanton was intentionally walked, and Torres drove a fullcount pitch from Dan Otero over the right-center fence and into the Yankees’ bullpen.
“That was a rough one,” Allen said.
Torres, who connected for his first big league homer May 4, raised one arm and turned back toward the New York dugout after rounding first base. He was mobbed and doused by excited teammates at home plate.
Tyler Naquin’s RBI single and Francisco Lindor’s RBI double keyed the Tribe’s four-run burst in the eighth. The Indians also scored on Sanchez’s sixth passed ball this season and Jason Kipnis’ sacrifice fly.
Until the eighth, Hicks’ leadoff single in the fifth against Clevinger was the only hit in a scoreless game.
“It was like he was going out there, five minutes later I was back out there, then five minutes later he was back out there,” Clevinger said of Yankees starter Domingo German. “I think it really kept us both in a good rhythm.”
The Yankee’s 15-1 stretch matches their best 16-game run since 1980. Three of their last four home games have been walk-off wins, and the Yankees (24-10) are off to their best start overall since 2003.
“They’re a team that’s really dangerous right now,” Francona said.
Starting five
German became the sixth pitcher to start for the Yankees this season, leaving Houston, Colorado and the Chicago Cubs as the only teams to use only five.
Trainer’s room
INDIANS » LHP Andrew Miller (strained left hamstring) plans to throw off a mound May 8, perhaps with hitters standing in, but won’t be reinstated from the disabled list until May 11 at the earliest. Miller threw a bullpen May 5 and was eligible to be activated May 6 . ... With banged-up center fielder Bradley Zimmer out of the lineup, Cleveland recalled OF Greg Allen from Triple-A Columbus. Allen played center and batted ninth. To make roster room for him, Cleveland optioned reliever Ben Taylor to Columbus. Zimmer exited the May 5 loss after crashing hard into the fence trying to catch Austin Romine’s double. He has a bruised left shoulder and hip but no concussion, manager Terry Francona said. After a day off May 7, the team hopes Zimmer can return to the lineup May 8 in Milwaukee.
Up next
INDIANS » Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (5-1, 2.41 ERA) pitches the opener of a twogame interleague series May 8 against Milwaukee LHP Wade Miley (1-0, 1.50).
YANKEES » RHP Luis Severino (5-1, 2.11) starts the series opener May 8 against Boston LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 6.14). Coming off his first career shutout last Wednesday in Houston, Severino is 2-5 with a 4.82 ERA vs. the Red Sox.