Ellsbury's 14th-inning homer propels Yankees

[July 10, 2014]  CLEVELAND -- Home runs and a good bullpen performance got it done for the New York Yankees on Wednesday night in a 5-4, 14-inning victory over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

The Yankees belted three home runs, accounting for four of their runs, and seven Yankee relievers combined to pitch 7 1/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball.

First baseman Mark Teixeira hit two home runs, but it was center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury's home run on a 0-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the 14th inning that proved to be the game-winner.

"It felt like it was going to take a home run to get a run across," Ellsbury said. "But our bullpen pitched unbelievably to give us a chance to win that game. It was a nice team win."

Neither team scored after the fifth inning until Ellsbury homered off right-hander Vinnie Pestano (0-1).

"Vinnie got up 0-2 and tried to bury a breaking ball but left it over the plate, and that was the game," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.

The win went to right-hander Chase Whitley (4-2), who pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three.
 

"That's a tough game to lose for either side because both bullpens did an exceptional job, and it came down to one big hit," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Right-hander David Robertson pitched the bottom of the 14th to pick up his 22nd save.

In the bottom of the 14th, Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis singled and stole second with one out. However, Robertson struck out shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera for the second out, then retired center fielder Michael Brantley on a long fly ball to left to end the 4-hour, 51-minute game.

"We had the guys up there that we'd want up there in that situation," Francona said. "I'll take my chances with them every time."

Both teams squandered excellent chances to win the game in the 10th inning. The Yankees had runners at first and second with nobody out, but they failed to score off right-hander Cody Allen.

In the bottom of the 10th, Yankees left-hander David Huff walked the bases loaded with one out, but right-hander Shawn Kelley came out of the bullpen to strike out designated hitter Nick Swisher and retire right fielder David Murphy on a grounder to short to send the game into the 11th inning.

The starting pitchers, Cleveland right-hander Josh Tomlin and New York right-hander Brandon McCarthy, pitched to a virtual standoff. Tomlin threw seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and striking out five. McCarthy pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (one earned) on nine hits and a walk. He struck out three.

"After the first inning, he shut them down for most of the game after that. He gave us a really good performance," Girardi said.

McCarthy was making his first appearance since he was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. The Indians greeted McCarthy with a three-run first inning.

Kipnis singled and went to second on a one-out single by Brantley. Carlos Santana hit a grounder to first baseman Mark Teixeira, who threw to second in an attempt to retire Brantley. However, the ball hit Brantley in the back, and everyone was safe, loading the bases with one out.

Kipnis scored when third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall grounded out to second. Designated hitter Nick Swisher then delivered the big blow of the inning, a two-out, two-run single that scored Brantley and Santana and gave Cleveland a 3-0 lead.

Tomlin held New York scoreless on three hits through three innings, but Teixeira led off the fourth with a home run, on an 0-2 pitch, cutting the Indians' lead to 3-1.

Teixeira struck again in the fifth inning, when the Yankees scored three more times to take a 4-3 lead. Ellsbury led off with a double, went to third on a single by shortstop Derek Jeter and scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Brian McCann.

Teixeira then blasted a 2-2 pitch from Tomlin over the right field wall for his second homer in as many innings and his 17th of the season.

"I made two mistakes to one hitter, and he made me pay for it," Tomlin said.

Cleveland tied it at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Cabrera doubled and scored on a two-out single by Santana.

NOTES: The Yankees placed RHP Masahiro Tanaka on the disabled list due to right elbow inflammation. Tanaka, who gave up five runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings Tuesday night, returned to New York for an MRI on the elbow. To replace Tanaka on the roster, the Yankees recalled OF Zoilo Almonte from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Yankees DH Carlos Beltran was a late scratch from the lineup. Beltran suffered a broken nose when he was hit by a ball that ricocheted off the batting practice cage. ... Indians RHP Zach McAllister will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox in the place of RHP Justin Masterson, who was placed on the disabled list Tuesday because of right knee inflammation.

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