Franmil Reyes hit a three-run homer, tripled and stole his first career base, helping the Cleveland Indians avoid a four-game series sweep with a 7-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Reyes homered in the fourth off Jameson Taillon (0-2) as Cleveland overcame a 3-0 deficit and took a 4-3 lead. Reyes a burly 6-foot-5, 265-pounder, led off the sixth with his second big league triple and scored on Jordan Luplow’s double against Nick Nelson for a 6-3 advantage.
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Gio Urshela hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Triston McKenzie and Mike Ford followed with a solo shot five pitches later, New York’s first back-to-back homers this year. The Yankees, tied for last in the AL East at 9-12, were seeking their first four-game sweep in Cleveland since 1996.
Rookie Sam Hentges (1-0), making his second big league appearances following his debut Tuesday, allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Emmanuel Clase worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in six chances. Four relievers combined for shutout, two-hit ball, and the Indians stopped their four-game losing streak.
Reyes’ home run, his fifth this season, landed just beyond the reach of 6-foot-7 right fielder Aaron Judge.
Taillon allowed four runs and five hits in four innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Coming back from his second Tommy John surgery, he has a 6,23 ERA and has not pitched more than five innings in any of his four starts. He is winless since May 1, 2019.
DJ LeMahieu, in a 2-for-17 slump, was given the day off. The reigning AL batting champion has a .260 average with one homer and six RBIs in 19 games.
Giancarlo Stanton had a 120.1 mph single in the first, the hardest-hit ball in the major leagues this season.
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PEN STUMBLE
Nelson allowed three runs in two innings and Luis Cessa followed with two shutout innings. New York’s bullpen entered with a big league-best 2.08 ERA and .178 batting average. Nelson was optioned to the alternate training site after the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Aaron Hicks (back tightness) was held out of the lineup.
Indians: RHP Cam Hill (right wrist surgery), a valuable setup man, has been on the injured list since the start of the season.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Deivi García will be recalled to start Monday at Baltimore. The 21-year-old made his major league debut on Aug. 30, 2020, against the Mets, finishing the year 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA in six starts. “Going to the alternate site was an opportunity to work on my pitches and add quality with the understanding it would help me when I got back here,” García said. Matt Harvey (1-1, 5.12 ERA) starts for the Orioles.
Indians: RHP Zach Plesac (1-3, 6.75 ERA) takes on Twins RHP José Berrios (2-2, 3.00 ERA) in the first game of a three-game series at Progressive Field.