Brett Gardner’s sixth-inning single provided the go-ahead runs as the Yankees offense came to life in a 7-4 win over the Indians last night at the Stadium. (Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post)
Mark Teixeira gave the Yankees a week’s worth of offense with one swing of the bat last night — a third-inning grand slam.
But it wasn’t until Brett Gardner’s two-run single in the sixth that the Yankees finally took the lead for good in a 7-4 win over the Indians, just their second victory in nine games.
“Up 4-1 with Andy [Pettitte] on the mound, we needed this win,” Teixeira said. “We’ve had a rough enough streak the last week and a half as it is.”
With the Yankees offense in shambles, low-key owner Hal Steinbrenner publicly challenged the team prior to the game.
“We’re right in the middle of the fight and it’s gonna continue,” Steinbrenner said. “But we do need to start hitting, no doubt about it. They know that.”
The offense picked up Pettitte, who was making his first start since being removed from a May 16 outing with upper back spasms.
He gave up just one run until faltering in the fifth, in which he threw 10 straight balls at one point. Pettitte managed to get two outs before Carlos Santana’s two-run ground-rule double bounced off David Adams’ glove at third into the stands, tied the game at 4-4 and ended his night.
But the bats and the bullpen bailed him out.
Winning pitcher Shawn Kelley, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitched scoreless relief before Mariano Rivera earned his 20th save.
It was Teixeira’s first home run since suffering a right wrist injury preparing for the World Baseball Classic in spring training, and he pumped his fist as he rounded first.
Joe Girardi hopes it’s a sign of things to come.
“[Teixeira] is an RBI machine and we need that,” Girardi said.
Teixeira, a notoriously slow starter, knows he does not have his usual month to round into form, not with the Yankees finding runs so hard to come by.
“You don’t want to be feeling for things too long,” said Teixeira, who has played six straight games since returning and reported no problems. “This was a good first step.”
Still, it wasn’t until the sixth when the Yankees made their final move against Justin Masterson (8-4), who shut out the Yankees on May 13.
Brett Gardner’s single put the Yankees up, with some help from Masterson, who made a baffling decision in the field that led to an extra run.
Ichiro Suzuki started the inning with a walk and moved to second on Adams’ slow groundout to third. Reid Brignac struck out, but the struggling Austin Romine came up with a two-out single when his hard comebacker bounced off Masterson’s shoulder for an infield hit.
The slow-footed Romine then stole second without a throw, putting him in scoring position for Gardner. The center fielder laced a single up the middle to knock in Ichiro. Though Michael Brantley’s throw looked like it might get home in time, Masterson — who was standing in front of the plate instead of backing it up — cut the ball off, allowing Romine to score.
“He should’ve been backing up and he got himself in no-man’s land and he knew it the minute he did it,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “Once in a while, guys make mistakes.”
The Yankees will take all the runs they can get. Teixeira even volunteered to move to the outfield — as Lyle Overbay did for his first career start in right — if it would help get more offense on the field.
“I offered to go out there,” Teixeira said. “Joe and [GM Brian Cashman] nixed that pretty quick.”
But they like having him at the plate.
dan.martin@nypost.com