Yankees Score In 9th To Win

This weekend, the Indians got a taste of what it feels like for the Boston Red Sox.

Chasing the New York Yankees is no fun.

Joe Girardi's two-run single capped New York's four-run ninth inning and Bernie Williams went 4-for-5 as the Yankees showed why they are World Series champions in outlasting Cleveland 11-7 on Sunday.

Rookie D'Angelo Jimenez also had four hits and his first two career RBIs and Derek Jeter homered as the Yankees maintained their three-game lead over second-place Boston in the AL East.

New York built a 6-0 lead after four innings against rookie Jim Brower, making his first start, before the Indians began knocking around Yankees starter David Cone.

"They just waved it away," Torre said.

But the Yankees recovered in time to win the series and tie Cleveland for the best record in the AL with 13 games remaining.

"It was frustrating, then rewarding, then frustrating," Indians manager Mike Hargrove said. "We came back against a great pitcher and a great ballclub, and to give it up the way we did was frustrating."

The two teams have met in the postseason the past two Octobers and have seemingly been on a collision course all year. But Hargrove dismissed any talk that this series was anything more than four games in late September.

"There was no message to send," he said. "If I wanted to send thm a message, I'll write Joe a letter. Once you get to the postseason, you throw it all out the window."

Allen Watson (4-1) got the win in relief and Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth. Rivera has not allowed a run in 21 appearances.

With the score tied 7-7, Williams fell behind 0-2 before opening the Yankees ninth with a double off Tom Martin (0-1). One out later, pinch-hitter Tino Martinez was intentionally walked before Jorge Posada slapped an RBI single to left off Paul Shuey.

Jimenez added an RBI double before Girardi singled in two more.

Jim Thome and Richie Sexson hit back-to-back homers in the fourth, and Manny Ramirez hit a monstrous 471-foot shot in the fifth for the Indians.

Ramirez's shot nearly left Jacobs Field and was snared one-handed by a fan in the last row of the left-field bleachers.

"Oh my goodness," Torre said of Ramirez's 40th homer. "That was one of those that when you see a guy swing and miss you say, `What would happen if he connected?' Well he connected."

For three innings, Cone looked like he might be on his way to adding a no-hitter to his perfect game this season.

"David was as sharp as he has been all year," Girardi said. "He had his perfect game stuff."

Cone, starting on normal four days rest for the first time in four starts, had no trouble with the Indians the first time through, striking out the side in the third.

He took a 6-0 lead into the fourth, and after striking out Kenny Lofton for the second time, allowed a walk and fielder's choice to Roberto Alomar before Ramirez singled for Cleveland's first hit.

But Cone seemed to have trouble getting loose after a long top of the fourth, and Thome and Sexson hit back-to-back shots as the Indians closed within 6-4.

Following a sacrifice fly, Ramirez ripped his two-run homer to give the Indians a 7-6 lead.

"I'm disappointed I squandered the lead," said Cone, who insisted he is physically fine. "I got out of my rhythm, made three mistakes and they killed all three."

Cone was agged for six hits and seven runs in 4 2-3 innings and remained winless since Aug. 8, a span of seven starts.

"I don't know why he was rushing," Torre said. "Girardi said he had dynamite stuff and that just doesn't stop in the fourth."

Rookie Ed Yarnall kept the Yankees in the game with 2 2-3 innings of one-hit ball. New York tied it 7-all in the seventh off Chris Haney on Jimenez's run-scoring single.

"We got huge efforts from Jimenez and Yarnall," Cone said. "They were our saviors."

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