Sat Apr 26 19:56:11 2008

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Indians slide by Yankees on Martinez's game-winning single

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Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Victor Martinez laced an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning as Cleveland clipped the New York Yankees, 4-3, in the second contest of a four-game set.

Against Ross Ohlendorf (0-1), Grady Sizemore singled with one out, and moved to second when David Dellucci singled to right. Travis Hafner was granted an intentional walk that loaded the bases, then Martinez deposited a pitch to left in front of a drawn-in outfield to score Sizemore for the winning run.

Sizemore, Dellucci and Hafner also drove in runs for the Indians, who have won five straight games.

Masahide Kobayashi (1-0) earned his first major-league victory by allowing just two hits with two strikeouts over two relief innings. Starter Jeremy Sowers was charged with seven hits and three runs over 5 1/3 frames.

Jorge Posada had a three-run triple for the Yankees, who have dropped three in a row. Johnny Damon finished 4-for-5 and Derek Jeter added three hits in the loss.

Starter Ian Kennedy was solid in the no-decision, allowing three runs and four hits over five innings.

Cleveland got on the board with three runs in the second.

Jhonny Peralta and Asdrubal Cabrera hit back-to-back singles, and advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Franklin Gutierrez. Casey Blake walked to load the bases, then Sizemore also walked to force in a run. Dellucci followed with a sac fly to center to score Cabrera for a 2-0 game.

Hafner dumped a bloop single to short left, plating the third Cleveland run and Blake advanced to third, but a Martinez line out limited further damage.

Sowers held the Yanks in check until the sixth, when he allowed a one-out single to Alex Rodriguez and plunked Jason Giambi. Shelley Duncan also drew a walk, which signaled Sowers' exit for Jensen Lewis. Robinson Cano fanned but pinch-hitter Posada drilled a pitch to the gap in left-center that cleared the bases for a tie game.

Cleveland had runners on first and third with one out in the home half, but Rodriguez snared a liner off the bat of Gutierrez and beat Peralta to the bag at third for an inning-ending double play.

The Indians threatened again with two men on in the eighth but Kyle Farnsworth got Gutierrez swinging to close out the frame.

New York had a chance to go ahead in the ninth off Kobayashi with runners at the corners, but Jeter hit into a double play to kill the rally.

Game Notes

It was the first game-ending RBI for Martinez, who extended his hit streak to eight games...New York had won eight straight meetings before Cleveland halted the streak with two wins in the first two games of this series...Prior to the game, the Indians recalled Sowers from Triple-A Buffalo...To allow room for Sowers on the roster, the Tribe optioned outfielder Ben Francisco to Buffalo...Indians manager Eric Wedge was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning for arguing a call at second base...The Yankees recalled Duncan from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to the game, and optioned reliever Billy Traber to Scranton.