CLEVELAND (AP) — Once the hottest team in baseball, the Cleveland Indians have limped into the All-Star break.
After making three errors in an 11-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday, the Indians have dropped six of their last nine games after winning a franchise-record 14 straight from June 15 to July 1.
Cleveland maintains a 6 ½-game lead in the AL Central with a 52-36 record heading into the break, despite its recent struggles.
“We looked a little raggedy there and we can’t play like that and win,” manager Terry Francona said. “Take advantage of the rest and, hopefully, come out of the chute with a little more of what we usually look like.”
The errors started in the second, when Carlos Santana missed a throw at first from Francisco Lindor, allowing Starlin Castro to score from second. A batter later, Lonnie Chisenhall couldn’t catch a fly to deep right, resulting in a double for Austin Romine.
Jacoby Ellsbury made each of the mistakes hurt as he hit a three-run, two-out homer off Carlos Carrasco (5-3) to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead.
After an error by third baseman Jose Ramirez allowed the Yankees to score again in the fourth, Lindor added to the list of miscues in the fifth, starting the New York offense once again.
With the bases loaded and no outs, the All-Star shortstop gathered a potential double-play ball and made an errant throw to second, allowing two runs to score.
The Yankees scored four more times after the error to take an 11-1 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in a six-run inning.
“That inning, the floodgates kind of opened,” Francona said. “It seemed like everything that could go wrong did.”
Cleveland countered with a six-run fifth of its own, as back-to-back singles by Mike Napoli and Ramirez scored two before Didi Gregorius made a wild throw to first that allowed two more to score.
Tyler Naquin finished the scoring with a two-run homer to bring the Indians to back within four.
Doomed by the defense, Carrasco allowed five runs — only one earned — on five hits over 3 2/3 innings in his first loss since June 13 against Kansas City.
Making just his second major league appearance, reliever Joe Colon stalled the Yankees, allowing one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka was also a victim of poor fielding, allowing seven runs — three earned — on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Nathan Eovaldi (7-6) relieved Tanaka with 4 1/3 scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit.
The Indians won’t play at Progressive Field again until July 26, when they’re set to take on the Washington Nationals.
ALL-STAR SIDELINED
Indians RHP Danny Salazar won’t pitch in the All-Star Game because of mild elbow discomfort, but he will still be in San Diego for the festivities.
The 26-year-old was pushed back in the rotation last month for the same reason and the Indians want to make sure he’s healthy for the rest of the season.
Salazar is scheduled to pitch July 19, the fifth game after the break.
“We’ve just been monitoring him very closely,” Francona said. “We also really respect the fact that Danny made the team and what a huge honor it is. I think he understands that for us to get to where we want to go, this rest is really good for him.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: OF Michael Brantley, who has missed most of the season with a sore right shoulder, will begin a minor league rehab assignment Monday.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda will start against Boston in the first game following the break Friday.
Indians: Carrasco will start the first game after the break in Minnesota on Friday.
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