Tribe Bats Can't Solve Wang

Score: Yankees 1 Indians 0


Turning Point: Melky Cabrera took CC Sabathia deep to left field for a home run in the fifth inning. It was the only run scored the entire game.


Analysis: The offense could not put anything together against Chein-Ming Wang. The Tribe only scratched out a total of four hits. Wang had his sinker working today too. The Indians seemed to let his fastball by, and continuously bite at his breaking stuff. It was definitely a frustrating day at the plate. The good news is CC’s outing against the Royals was not a fluke. Sabathia continued his return to form from 2007.


MVP: CC Sabathia
You have to give it the big guy. CC made on mistake and had eight strikeouts in seven innings of work. He only gave up four hits as well. He was on again, which was most evident in the sixth inning. Derek Jeter doubled to deep left center to start off the inning. Yet Sabathia didn’t allow him to score as he retired Bobby Abreu on a ground ball, and then got Alex Rodriguez and Shelley Duncan to strike out. You hate to see him lose this one.


Extras:

- This was the first 1-0 game in the majors since June 13, 2006. Ironically that game was a 1-0 victory by the New York over Cleveland, as well. Chien-Ming Wang was the winner of that game, and CC Sabathia was the loser. The margin of victory came from a solo home run in that game too.

- Grady Sizemore did not play today, which ended his streak of 382 consecutive games played in. It was the majors’ longest active streak until today.

- It was reported after the game that Jorge Posada would go on the disabled list for the first time in his professional career.

- It's the first career loss for Sabathia in which he has allowed one earned run or less in at least eight innings pitched. He was 23-0 heading into Sunday.

Next Up: The Indians look to win the series tomorrow night in the finale of the four game series against the Yankees. Cleveland will start southpaw, Aaron Laffey, who will spot start for the Indians. Laffey has not pitched in the majors yet this season, but he is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA at Triple A Buffalo. New York will hand the ball off the “Moose” otherwise known as Mike Mussina. The seventeen-year veteran is 2-3 with a 4.94 ERA. First pitch is at 7:05 PM from the beautiful Progressive Field.