NEW YORK (AP) -- Carlos Carrasco rejoined the Cleveland rotation in fine fashion by pitching five dominant innings and the Indians nearly tossed another shutout at Yankee Stadium, beating New York 4-1 Sunday.
Jacoby Ellsbury homered with two outs in the ninth off Indians closer Cody Allen, ending New York's season-worst scoreless streak at 19 innings. The shot let the Yankees avoid a dubious distinction -- not since 1999 had they been blanked in two straight games, STATS said.
Jason Kipnis got three hits and scored three runs as the Indians finished 4-3 against New York -- only twice in the last 22 years has Cleveland taken the season matchup.
A day after Cleveland pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout and struck out 15 Yankees, Carrasco (4-4) and four relievers threw another five-hitter.
Carrasco allowed just two singles, walked none, struck out four and retired his last 11 batters. Pitching in place of the recently demoted Danny Salazar, Carrasco made his first start since being banished to the bullpen in late April.
Carrasco had gone 0-12 in 17 starts since 2011, and missed the 2012 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He threw from the stretch all game, firing a 96 mph with his first pitch, and met catcher Yan Gomes for hand slaps and back pats outside the dugout after the final out in the fifth.
Cleveland evened its record at 59-59 by taking advantage of a surprisingly shaky Hiroki Kuroda (7-8). Normally one of baseball's best control pitchers, he walked a season-high four, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
Kuroda issued his first bases-loaded walk since he was a major league rookie in 2008, STATS said. Gomes drew that walk for a 3-0 lead in the fifth and added an RBI single in the seventh.
Michael Brantley drove in Cleveland's first two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: OF David Murphy (oblique) and DH-1B Nick Swisher (knee) went on the 15-day disabled list and OF Tyler Holt and INF-OF Zach Walters were promoted from Triple-A Columbus. Walters, acquired July 31 in the trade that sent shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to Washington, started in left field in his Cleveland debut. Walters went 0 for 3 with a walk.
Yankees: 1B Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup after missing three straight games because of an injured left pinkie. He went 1 for 3.
UP NEXT
Indians: In a scheduling quirk, Cleveland gets three off-days in the next eight days. The Indians host Arizona starting Tuesday night, with LHP T.J. House (1-3, 4.13) facing Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (8-6, 4.09). House has allowed three or fewer runs in seven straight starts.
Yankees: LHP Chris Capuano (1-2, 3.91) starts Monday night at Camden Yards as New York begins a six-game trip to AL East-leading Baltimore and division rival Tampa Bay. Capuano has pitched well since being acquired from Colorado last month, yet is winless in his last nine starts overall.
