Wang, Yankees survive against Tribe
By IRA PODELL
AP Sports Writer
July 8 2005
NEW YORK (AP) -- Chien-Ming Wang gave up a home run on his first pitch
before settling down and tossing 6 2-3 effective innings, and the New
York Yankees extended their winning streak to six games with a 5-4
victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.
Wang (6-3) took the mound after a 20-minute rain delay, and saw his
first delivery smashed over the right-field fence by Grady Sizemore.
He fell behind 2-0 when Aaron Boone hit an RBI single in the second,
but was helped out by three double plays and won for the third time
in five starts.
Wang allowed three runs and seven hits, and pitched into the seventh
inning for the fourth time in five outings and for the ninth time in
13 appearances this season.
Mariano Rivera pitched an eventful ninth inning for his 19th save in
21 chances. Rivera, who entered with 23-inning scoreless streak,
allowed Casey Blake's sacrifice fly followed by Boone's fourth hit of
the game, which put runners on the corners with two outs. Sizemore
grounded to first on the next pitch.
New York (45-39) matched its season high of six games over .500, set
when a win over Boston on May 27 boosted the Yankees to 27-21. They
scored four times in the third inning off Cliff Lee (9-4) to take
the lead for good and improved to 4-0 on a homestand that has two
games remaining before the All-Star break.
After allowing one hit and a walk over the first two innings, Lee
barely made it out of the third.
Bernie Williams led off with a walk and Melky Cabrera, in his second
career start, singled him to second. Deter Jeter doubled just inside
the first-base bag to score Williams with New York's first run.
Robinson Cano's RBI groundout tied it at 2 and, after Gary Sheffield
walked, Alex Rodriguez singled in Jeter. One out later, Jason Giambi
continued his hot hitting with an RBI single that scored Sheffield
for a 4-2 lead.
There was bullpen action when Jorge Posada struck out to end the inning,
in which the Yankees batted around.
Cleveland got within a run when Wang threw a two-out wild pitch that
scored Jody Gerut in the fifth. The Indians put runners on first and
second with none out, but Sizemore -- who had hit the first leadoff
homer of his career -- grounded into a double play on a 2-0 pitch.
The Indians also started the sixth with a walk, but Victor Martinez
followed with another double-play grounder on another 2-0 count to
short-circuit that rally.
New York stretched its lead to 5-3 in the bottom of that inning when
Hideki Matsui led off with a double and scored on Posada's sacrifice fly.
Matsui has reached base safely in 34 consecutive games, tying
Baltimore's Brian Roberts for the longest streak in the majors
this season.
Wang came back out to start the seventh, despite having thrown 99
pitches. He retired the first two batters, but left after allowing
the third of Boone's four singles. Wayne Franklin came on and got
Sizemore to fly out to right field.
Lee had won three straight decisions, but fell to 7-2 on the road
this season. He allowed five runs and six hits in six innings.
Notes:
Giambi went 1-for-2 and is 8-for-12 on the homestand, raising
his average to .276. He was replaced at first base by Tino Martinez
to start the sixth inning after slipping earlier when leaving the
batters' box. ... Yankees setup man Tom Gordon was diagnosed with
mild tendinitis in his right shoulder and is day to day. ...
LHP Darrell May had his contract purchased from Triple-A Columbus
and will start for the Yankees on Saturday. OF Bubba Crosby was
optioned to the Clippers. ...
Cleveland RHP Rafael Betancourt, already on the DL, was suspended
10 days by major league baseball for testing positive for performance-
enhancing drugs.
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