Chapman – sprinting to cover first base with two on and two outs in the ninth inning – beat Tyler Naquin to the bag by a split-second and preserved the Yankees’ 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
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The Yankees started a 4-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field last night, and badly needed a win.
Green served up back-to-back home runs to Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis to start the game, before allowing a two-run homer to Lonnie Chisenhall later in the first inning.
The Indians responded with two runs in the sixth off Yankees starter Ivan Nova, getting consecutive doubles from Carlos Santana and Kipnis.
Francisco Lindor drew a walk and Green seemed to settle down when he struck out Napoli and retired Jose Ramirez on a fly out.
“To be honest you don’t really feel it off the bat”, he said of his 462-foot blast, one of five Cleveland home runs in a 10-2 rout over the New York Yankees.
“I don’t think it really changes a whole lot for either of them on the base paths”, Girardi said. Several players in the dugout pointed to where the ball landed and shook their heads in disbelief. “We haven’t even seen in BP one go there. It was fun to watch”, Francona said.
“I don’t know how you hit a ball that far”, Francona said.
Along with Jim Thome’s 511-foot home run to Eagle Avenue in 1999 and Mark McGwire’s awe-inspiring shot off the scoreboard in 1997, Napoli’s homer Friday night is one of the most impressive in park history. Coming off one of his worst outings of the year, he opened with six scoreless innings before allowing a solo homer to Brian McCann to lead off the seventh.
McCann dumped a bloop single into left leading off the second inning before Kluber struck out Teixeira and Starlin Castro.
The Indians, who extended their lead in the AL Central to 7.5 games over Detroit, played Friday night like those words were still ringing in their ears.
Green threw just three pitches before he got into trouble in the bottom of the first inning.
“You want to get our bullpen the lead because if you do, it’s nearly a sure win”, Nova said. “It was nice to spread it out”.
Kluber, who was added to the AL All-Star roster as an injury replacement for Toronto’s Marco Estrada, was in control for the duration of his eight-inning effort.
Naquin was initially awarded an infield single – off the glove of first baseman Mark Teixeira – before the call was overturned on a challenge by NY manager Joe Girardi. “He’s an All-Star for a reason, just carving us up”.
Teixeira, who will have a lubricant injection in the knee after tomorrow’s game, said if it had been a close game, he would have stayed in.
The Yankees are 3-5 on their current 10-game road trip that will take them into the All-Star break. The team is expecting near-sellouts Saturday and Sunday.
Indians: OF Michael Brantley (sore right shoulder) took batting practice for the second straight day and could begin a minor league rehab assignment during the All-Star break. NY tied the game in the fifth when Gregorius belted his career-high 10th home run and Gardner had an RBI single.
Indians: Kluber is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees.
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Trevor Bauer (7-3) finished his start having allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings, and was visibly frustrated after the game.
