Indians Edge Yankees, Snap Nine-Game Losing Skid 1
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
CLEVELAND – Coco Crisp dove headfirst for a go-ahead bunt single in the eighth inning that sent Cleveland over the Yankees 4-3 last night, ending the Indians’ nine-game losing streak.
The Indians rallied for two runs in the eighth, providing an entertaining end to the 30,605 fans who spent much of the evening cheering for a squirrel who ran on to the field in the third inning and held up play several times over the course of the game.
Cleveland trailed 3-2 when Tom Gordon (6-4) walked Ben Broussard and Casey Blake to start the eighth. Jody Gerut sacrificed both runners over and Ronnie Belliard’s sacrifice fly tied it.
Crisp then laid down a drag bunt past Gordon, diving to barely beat second baseman Enrique Wilson’s throw. Crisp jumped to his feet after being called safe and pulled off his helmet.
David Riske (7-2) went 1 1/3 perfect innings and Rafael Betancourt got three outs for just his third save in 10 chances. Gordon had won the first two games of the series.
The Yankees’ lead over Boston in the AL East was trimmed to 5 1/2 games as the Red Sox beat Toronto 11-5. Cleveland, which had been one game behind AL Central-leading Minnesota on Aug. 15, climbed back to .500.
Kenny Lofton singled for his 2,000th career hit. The Yankees’ DH, who played nine seasons for Cleveland, got a standing ovation from the crowd and tipped his batting helmet while standing on first base.
The Yankees lost for the first time in Orlando Hernandez’s nine starts. He changed speeds and confused Cleveland’s hitters all night, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks in six innings.
Indians starter Jake Westbrook allowed three runs – one earned – in six-plus innings.
Lofton and Bernie Williams doubled in the seventh to chase Westbrook and tie it at two. Jeter bunted reliever Matt Miller threw wide of third trying to get Williams, allowing him to score for a 3-2 lead.
Matt Lawton doubled and scored on Travis Hafner’s groundout in the first. It was Hafner’s first RBI since Cleveland’s losing streak began.
Hideki Matsui doubled and scored on Wilson’s single in the second to tie it. Crisp singled and scored on Omar Vizquel’s double in the third to make it 2-1.
