CLEVELAND – The Yankees have been finding ways to beat people no matter who Joe Girardi puts on the field.
But even by this year’s injury-ravaged standard, Monday’s lineup was an eyesore and it caught up to the Yankees in a 1-0 loss to the Indians in the first game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field.
David Phelps gave up a solo home run to Jason Kipnis just two batters into the game and pitched into the seventh inning, but the Yankees never got to Cleveland starter Justin Masterson, who tossed a complete game shutout, striking out nine.
Masterson’s success was hardly shocking, especially considering Chris Nelson, Corban Joseph, Chris Stewart and Alberto Gonzalez made up nearly half of the Yankees’ batting order.
“We’re trying to take care of our guys,” Girardi said before the game. “We’re in a real long stretch. We don’t want to wear them out or get them hurt.”
And he said he’d grown accustomed to the unfamiliar names.
“It’s a pretty normal lineup for us, almost in a sense,” Girardi said. “We’ve had to play with our lineup all year long. I’m not really surprised.”
They were only able to get more than one baserunner in an inning in the second, when Nelson reached on a two-out infield single to third, Joseph walked and Stewart singled to short to load the bases.
Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera made a diving stop up the middle to stop the ball from going into center, which would have allowed Nelson to score to tie the game. Gonzalez, filling in at short, then struck out to end the threat.
Brett Gardner led off the sixth with a bunt single, but the Yankees never got another runner beyond second base.
Masterson took the mound to cheers in the ninth and after retiring Robinson Cano and Travis Hafner, Brennan Boesch singled to left. But Vernon Wells pinch hit for Nelson and struck out to end the game.