Game 59 Wrap-Up: NYY 6 CLE 4

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Not a bad little situation for the Yankees to be in looking to close out a sweep yesterday afternoon.  Much more respectable-looking lineup on the field, ace on the mound, you'll take that any day of the week.  CC Sabathia was brilliant his last time out and looking to build on the positive trends of that start, something that he accomplished in spades despite what the scoreboard read.  A quick burst of early runs and a dynamite start from your #1 is a helluva way to capitalize on a good situation.

Game Notes:

- The lineup jumped on Corey Kluber early, cashing in on a Michael Bourn error in the bottom of the 1st when Travis Hafner destroyed a 2-run homer into the second deck in right field.  2-0 just like that.

- They doubled up in the bottom of the 2nd on another rally started by the bottom of the order.  Single, double, single by Overbay, Nix, Stewart put 1 in and 2 on for Brett Gardner, who brought everybody home with his 6th(!!) HR of the season.  6-0 just like that.

- And that was all Carsten would need.  He was sharp out of the gate yesterday, retiring the first 12 batters he faced in order (11 on the infield).  He was pounding the zone with fastballs and keeping them down to get groundball outs and working the slider to get swings and misses.

- After 5 easy scoreless frames, CC gave 2 back in the 6th on a bunch of well-placed groundballs and BABIP magic.  All 3 hits in the inning were grounders, and CC K'd Mark Reynolds to end the nonsense.

- The one mistake he did make was in the top of the 7th when he hung a first-pitch slider to Yan Gomes.  Gomes hit for a 2-run homer and the game was suddenly close.

- The back end of the bullpen was out of commish yesterday so CC had to finish what he started.  He did it in style, fanning Bourn and Jason Kipnis in the 8th and retiring the 9th 1-2-3.  Excellent work by the big man.

F*ck Yeahs:

- Gardner: 2-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI.  Very productive day at the plate for Gardner, and a very impressive showing hitting a 2-strike offspeed pitch for a HR.  That's a new one for Brett.

- Sabathia: 9 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 9 K.  Not a huge fan of letting him go the full 9, but whatever.  CC was money today and his upward trend continues as he gets deeper into the season.  4 ER doesn't look good and it doesn't tell the story.  The 6th was a bunch of BIP garbage and the only bad pitch he made was the one to Gomes.  Slider was just dirty.

Oh Nos:

- Cano: 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 LOB.  Robbie is just not hitting at all right now.  The offense is starting to come around in spite of him.  How's that for something you didn't expect to say this season?

Next Up:

While the Indians go get their shine box, the Bombers are off the West Coast for another visit with Seattle.  It's a weekend 4-gamer and it kicks off tomorrow night with Phil Hughes and Aaron Harang.