CLEVELAND — Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a story published on April 20, 2021.
Franmil Reyes hit a three-run homer, tripled and stole his first career base, helping the Cleveland Indians avoid a four-game series sweep with a 7-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Reyes homered in the fourth off Jameson Taillon (0-2) as Cleveland overcame a 3-0 deficit and took a 4-3 lead. Reyes a burly 6-foot-5, 265-pounder, led off the sixth with his second big league triple and scored on Jordan Luplow’s double against Nick Nelson for a 6-3 advantage.
Gio Urshela hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Triston McKenzie and Mike Ford followed with a solo shot five pitches later, New York’s first back-to-back homers this year. The Yankees, tied for last in the AL East at 9-12, were seeking their first four-game sweep in Cleveland since 1996.
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Rookie Sam Hentges (1-0), making his second big league appearances following his debut Tuesday, allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Emmanuel Clase worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save in six chances. Four relievers combined for shutout, two-hit ball, and the Indians stopped their four-game losing streak.
Reyes’ home run, his fifth this season, landed just beyond the reach of 6-foot-7 right fielder Aaron Judge.
Taillon allowed four runs and five hits in four innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Coming back from his second Tommy John surgery, he has a 6,23 ERA and has not pitched more than five innings in any of his four starts. He is winless since May 1, 2019.
DJ LeMahieu, in a 2-for-17 slump, was given the day off. The reigning AL batting champion has a .260 average with one homer and six RBIs in 19 games.
Giancarlo Stanton had a 120.1 mph single in the first, the hardest-hit ball in the major leagues this season.