CLEVELAND – Ian Kennedy was effective in four of five innings. Johnny Damon had four hits. LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth combined for three scoreless innings. Jorge Posada delivered a pinch-hit, three-run triple.
Still, the Yankees were even with the Indians yesterday going into the ninth inning at Progressive Field – thanks to Derek Jeter‘s blistering one-hopper up the middle hitting the side of the mound and going from an RBI single to an inning-ending double play.
But it didn’t stay even for long, as Ross Ohlendorf surrendered a one-out, bases-loaded single to Victor Martinez that lifted the Indians to a 4-3 victory in front of 35,765 – and handed the 12-13 Yankees their third straight loss.
“I put myself in a tough situation, and the wild pitch to [Travis] Hafner didn’t help,” said Ohlendorf (0-1), who gave up one-out ground singles to Grady Sizemore and David Dellucci before bouncing the first pitch to Hafner that moved the runners up.
Hafner was walked intentionally to load the bases for Martinez.
“At 2-1, I needed to throw a strike, and he did a good job of hitting it.”
Ohlendorf, who threw 49 pitches Thursday night, was better than his last outing in Chicago, when he gave up five runs and five hits in two frames.
He wasn’t alone in that department. Kennedy was coming off a 22/3-inning stint against the Orioles in which he gave up five hits and four runs, raising questions if he should remain in the rotation.
Between starts, Hank Steinbrenner said he wanted Joba Chamberlain in the rotation. Since Phil Hughes and Kennedy were a combined 0-5, it wasn’t out of the question Kennedy’s spot in the rotation was on the line.
“It wasn’t great, it was just average. Take [the second inning] away and I am happy with it,” said Kennedy, who gave up three runs, three hits and issued two walks in the second frame.
In five innings, he allowed three runs and four hits.
“I don’t think about that [staying in the rotation],” Kennedy said. “That is Joe’s decision. Joe [Girardi] knows and trusts us, Phil and myself.”
Since the Tribe started lefty Jeremy Sowers, who was called up from Triple-A, Girardi started seven right-handed bats and sat Hideki Matsui, Posada, Bobby Abreu and Robinson Cano.
All except Matsui got into the game. Yet no Yankee but Posada drove in a run, and the Yankees went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
“We let a couple [of opportunities] get away but they pitched well,” said Jeter, who went 3-for-5 and thought he had an RBI single that would have put his club ahead.
“I don’t think I could have thrown it to [second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera] any better. Those things happen. I hit it good up the middle.”
Cabrera, who was playing in, fielded the ball, raced to second to force Melky Cabrera and fired to first for the double play.
“The infield was in and there was a big hole between first and second and we had a guy who hits the ball that way, but the ball hits the side of the mound for a double play,” Girardi lamented.