The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Errors by Lindor open door for a loss
NEW YORK » Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s double error led to a pair of runs in a four-run fifth inning off previously unhittable Trevor Bauer, and the Yankees beat the Indians, 5-2, on May 5 for their 14th win in 15 games.
Making his first start since sparking a Twitter spat by suggesting Houston pitchers may be use pine tar, Bauer (2-3) retired his first 13 batters in order on 45 pitches, then needed 41 pitches to get the final two outs of the fifth. He lasted six innings and gave up two hits, and just two of the four runs off him were earned.
Lindor put the Indians ahead in the fifth with his fourth homer in five games, but he has made three errors in the past two games.
“Can’t give good offenses like
that extra baserunners, free baserunners,” Bauer said. “Can’t give them extra outs.”
Neil Walker and Miguel Andujar walked with one out in the fifth for the Yankees’ first two runners, and rookie Gleyber Torres lined a soft single to center for the Yankees’ first hit — and only hit of the inning, it turned out.
Austin Romine fell behind 1-2 in the count, worked it full, fouled off a pair of pitches, then took inside on a fastball to force home the tying run.
Ronald Torreyes hit a two-hopper for what appeared to be an easy inning-ending, double-play grounder to Lindor, a Gold Glove winner in 2016. Lindor allowed the ball to bounce out of the pocket of
his glove, picked it up and threw past third baseman Jose Ramirez to the screen in front of Cleveland’s dugout as Andujar and Torres scored.
“Both games have been lost because of me. That’s unacceptable,” Lindor said.
Brett Gardner followed with a sacrifice fly to left fielder Michael Brantley, whose throw to third appeared to beat Torreyes before Romine crossed the plate. But the Indians did not ask for a video review. Gardner added an RBI single in the seventh.
“We’re having a tough time getting the slow motion. What happens is it’s blurry, so there’s nothing that we can say is definitive,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I don’t think it’s just us. There’s been some glitches, and they’re working through it.”
New York is in its first 14-1 stretch since 1998 Yankees won 114 games during the regular season and then the first of three straight World Series titles. The Yankees have outscored opponents, 91-33, in that span and have won eight straight home games for the first time since 2010.
Whiffing
Yonder Alonso had four of the Indians’ 13 strikeouts. New York’s Aaron Judge fanned three times, raising his total to 44 — teammate Giancarlo Stanton leads the majors with 53.
Trainer’s room
INDIANS » CF Bradley Zimmer left the game after slamming into the plexiglas on the right-center field wall, trying to prevent Romine’s double. Zimmer crumpled to the field and walked slowly back to the dugout. Francona said. “I think he’s OK.”