The Yankees, to the surprise of many, took three of four from the starting pitching-rich Indians just before the All-Star break.
The one pitcher they didn’t solve in the series, however, was Corey Kluber, who dominated them over eight innings.
The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner did much of the same Saturday, allowing two second-inning runs but none thereafter, helping send the Yankees to a 5-2 loss on a sweltering afternoon at the Stadium.
Kluber, who limited the Yankees (55-55) to one run and five hits July 8 in Cleveland, allowed two runs and five hits over eight innings Saturday, improving to 11-8 with a 3.22 ERA. The righty struck out eight and walked one.
Andrew Miller, traded to the AL Central-leading Indians (62-46) July 31, allowed a leadoff single to Brett Gardner but retired three straight — including Jacoby Ellsbury and Mark Teixeira on strikeouts — for his first save in a Cleveland uniform.
CC Sabathia (6-9, 4.18) wasn’t bad but could not hold the early lead his offense gave him. The lefthander allowed three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings.
He allowed two home runs, a fourth-inning blast to Jason Kipnis that put the Indians on the board, and a sixth-inning shot to Mike Napoli that made it 3-2.
Rajai Davis’ homer off Anthony Swarzak in the seventh made it 4-2.
Starlin Castro, who broke open Friday’s game with his first career grand slam, led off the second with a broken-bat single to left. After Didi Gregorius struck out, catcher Gary Sanchez lined a 1-and-2 sinker into the gap in left-center for an RBI double that made it 1-0 and improved the rookie to 5-for-13 since his call-up to the majors Wednesday.
Aaron Hicks ripped a single to right to put runners at the corners and, with Ronald Torreyes up, Indians catcher Roberto Perez got crossed up on a 0-and-2 pitch, the ball skittering to the backstop to allow Sanchez to score to make it 2-0.
The Indians got one back in the fourth when Kipnis, who walked in the first inning, led off and caught a 3-and-1 fastball flush and sent it deep into the seats in right for his 19th homer of the season. Francisco Lindor followed with a single and Carlos Santana did the same with one out, but Sabathia got Jose Ramirez to ground into a 5-4-3 double play, the second one induced by Sabathia to that point in the game.
Cleveland tied it in the fifth. Sabathia hit Brandon Guyer to start the inning but Sanchez erased him trying for second, jumping up after blocking a pitch and firing a dart to a covering Gregorius. Sabathia, however, walked Abraham Almonte, who went to second on a Perez groundout. Davis then grounded a first-pitch slider to left for an RBI single to tie it at 2.
Sabathia retired Lindor to start the sixth but Napoli lashed a 3-and-1 fastball to right for his 28th homer of the season to give the Indians a 3-2 lead.
Gardner walked to lead off the sixth but suffered a brain lock when Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a soft liner to right. Gardner took off hard at contact and never stopped running, easily doubled off when Almonte made the catch and lobbed the ball back in to first.
Kluber retired the last eight batters he faced before turning things over to Miller, who received a three-run cushion in the ninth when Kipnis contributed an RBI single off Nick Goody.
..... - Newsday