CLEVELAND — There are no style points attached to victories. You win or lose and play the next game.
A perfect game counts as much as the ugliness surrounding Sunday’s Yankees’ 11-7 win over the Indians in front of a sun-splashed gathering of 29,089 at Progressive Field.
Masahiro Tanaka had an 11-1 lead entering the home fifth and didn’t make it out of the inning. Didi Gregorius, who was drilled high in the back on the right side in the six-run fifth, made a throwing error that resulted in four of the Indians’ runs being unearned. And when the Tribe cut the Yankees’ advantage to 11-7, the Yankees didn’t increase the comfort zone for Nathan Eovaldi.
Because the Indians committed three errors that led to eight unearned runs, the sting of Tanaka’s poor outing and Gregorius’ error didn’t burn the Yankees, who left for the All Star break taking three of four from the AL Central-leading Indians and lugged a 44-44 record into the four-day vacation.
“It’s important to go into the break .500,’’ said manager Joe Girardi, whose club finished a three-city road trip at 5-5. “We have to make up ground and that has to start Friday.’’
The victory that was highlighted by Eovaldi’s 4 ¹/₃ innings of scoreless relief in which he allowed one hit and walked three, keeping the fourth-place Yankees 7 ½ games behind the AL East-leading Orioles.
Jacoby Ellsbury didn’t agree with plate umpire Ramon De Jesus call on a 3-1 pitch in the second inning with two runners on and two out. Normally, Ellsbury doesn’t jaw with umps. But he let De Jesus know he missed a pitch. So, at 3-2, Ellsbury homered to right-center that gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead.
“It’s a big at-bat,’’ said Ellsbury, who went 2-for-5. “If I walk, Carlos [Beltran] comes up with the bases loaded. It worked out for us. I am happy he made the call.’’
The Yankees were also grateful the Indians infield appeared to be playing with ski gloves on every hand. First baseman Carlos Santana muffed a throw from third baseman Jose Ramirez in the second that helped the four-run rally. Ramirez botched a grounder in the fourth that led to a run. All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor threw a ball away in the fifth that extended the six-run outburst.
Dropped from the rotation this past week, Eovaldi worked out of the bullpen for the second time, and despite the control issues, he didn’t let the Indians make further inroads. And if they did, Girardi had Dellin Betances throwing in the pen during the ninth inning.
“It’s been awhile,’’ Eovaldi said about contributing to a victory that went on his ledger ( 7-6). “I’m glad to help Tanaka out and help the team win again. It feels good to be able to win the game.’’
Taking three of four from the pitching-rich Indians and scoring 25 runs in four games isn’t a time a team welcomes four days off. But that’s what the schedule demands before what could be a season-defining 10-game homestand that starts Friday and includes the Red Sox, Orioles and Giants.
Being .500 isn’t what the Yankees aspire to be, but handling the Indians can’t be completely overlooked, either. Even when the Tribe handed them eight of the runs.