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Four homers push Yankees past Indians

Thu 8th, May 2008

Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Johnny Damon was 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in, as the New York Yankees avoided a three-game sweep behind four homers in a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Jason Giambi hit a two-run shot, while Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit recorded solo blasts to get New York back in the win column.

The homers were enough to make a winner of Mike Mussina (5-3), who lasted five innings after allowing three runs on four hits. Mariano Rivera, appearing in his 800th career game, came on in the ninth for his ninth save of the season

"It was more difficult than it should have been," Mussina said of his so-so outing. "I made some mistakes and they hit the mistakes I made. I'm not looking to be a five-inning pitcher."

Paul Byrd (1-3), whose only victory this season came against the Yankees, allowed five runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Indians, who were attempting their first three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium since April 7-9, 1989.

"I just couldn't locate it down and away today," Byrd said. "I just didn't throw the ball well. It was frustrating."

Casey Blake roped a two-run double, while Franklin Gutierrez tallied two hits and scored a run in the setback.

Byrd faced the minimum number of batters through three innings but faltered his second time around the lineup. Damon led off in the fourth, worked a full count and slammed a shot into right field seats for the first tally of the game.

After Bobby Abreu grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, Hideki Matsui singled and Giambi crushed his sixth homer of the season into the upper deck in right for a three-run edge.

The Indians came right back and tied it in the fifth, though. With runners on the corners, Blake lined an opposite-field shot to right off Mussina, who had retired 12 straight batters coming into the frame.

Both runners scored on the double, and Blake came around on Kelly Shoppach's seeing-eye-single through the left side of the infield for the 3-3 tie.

Damon came through with another go-ahead RBI in the home half, looping a pitch to left that scored Cano, who doubled to lead off the frame.

Cano and Betemit added insurance runs in the seventh. Cano belted a laser over the right field wall off Byrd, who was pulled in favor of Masahide Kobayashi. Betemit greeted the righty with a shot to straightaway center to give the Yankees bullpen a three-run advantage.

After allowing his first runs ever at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Joba Chamberlain pitched a perfect eighth, and Rivera worked around a double in the ninth to secure the win.

Game Notes

By winning four of seven from the Yankees this season, the Tribe have their first outright season series victory over New York since they went 7-6 against the Bronx Bombers in 1992...Mussina has won four starts in a row and is now in sole possession of 39th place on the all-time wins list (254)...Rivera became the 39th pitcher in baseball history to appear in 800 games...Matsui, 2-for-4, is in the midst of a career-high 17-game hitting streak...Ross Ohlendorf pitched two scoreless innings in relief for the Yankees...On Thursday, the Indians traded outfielder Jason Michaels and cash considerations to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later.

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