Yankees rally for 8-5 win over Indianapolis
The Yankees improve to 26-22 overall and 12-9 at home, while the Indians fall to 28-20 on the season and 16-10 on the road. Monday will be the Tribe's 42nd consecutive day atop the International League's West Division.
Scranton/W-B pushed across four runs in the seventh after trailing by a pair at stretch time. 1B Shelley Duncan got things rolling with a walk. 3B Chris Basak followed with a bunt single before SS Alberto Gonzalez roped an RBI single to plate Duncan.
Chavez cleared the left-field wall moments later for his first dinger of the campaign. Basak and Gonzalez trotted home ahead of Chavez, who finished 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Reese and Phillips also managed three base knocks each for the Yankees.
Scranton/W-B added an insurance run in the eighth when Duncan lifted a sacrifice fly to score LF Kevin Reese.
Three Yankee relievers -- LHP Ben Kozlowski (2.0 IP, 1 SO), RHP Chris Britton (1.0 IP, 1 H) and RHP Jim Brower (1.0 IP) -- nailed it down from there, combining for four scoreless frames. Kozlowski improved to 2-3 with the win, while Britton registered his third hold and Brower notched his seventh save.
Indianapolis scored all of its runs in the fourth. 3B Russ Johnson led off by belting his second homer of the season -- a solo shot to left. DH Brad Eldred and LF Michael Ryan followed with back-to-back singles before RF Chris Aguila walked to load the bases. CF Luis Matos then drilled a two-bagger to right as Eldred and Ryan scored.
The Indians kept the frame rolling when 2B Luis Ordaz lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Aguila. Matos came to the dish same play, thanks to a throwing error by the Scranton/W-B right fielder.
Neither starter -- Indianapolis LHP Shane Youman (5.0 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) or Scranton/W-B RHP Eric Junge (5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO) -- figured in the decision.
Tribe LF Michael Ryan extended his season-best hitting streak to 10 games by going 2-for-4 with one run. RHP Jesse Chavez (1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO) fell to 2-1 with the loss.
Indianapolis begins its longest homestand of the season -- 12 games in 12 days -- on Monday at 6 p.m. Buffalo will provide the opposition for the Memorial Day special. RHP John Van Benschoten is scheduled to start for the Indians, while LHP Aaron Laffey is expected to get the nod for the Bisons.
The contest will be carried by ESPN-950 AM and IndyIndians.com with Howard Kellman and Scott McCauley. The pre-game show begins at 5:40 p.m.
Hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, Cracker Jack and potato chips will be available for just $1 each and the Grissom Air Reserve Base Honor Guard will present the flag, a 21-gun salute and taps during a special pre-game ceremony.
Tickets for all 12 games are available by clicking here, visiting the Victory Field Box Office at 501 W. Maryland Street or calling Ticketmaster at 317-239-5151.