Yankees Win 10-4, Over and Out

Johnson leads series split

Randy Johnson tossed 4 innings of perfect baseball en route to a 7-plus inning performance and Jason Giambi homered to propel the Yankees to a 10-4 romp of the Cleveland Indians. After getting whacked 19-1 on Tuesday, the Yankees responded the last night two nights, winning both games by a combined score of 21-7.

Johnson (10-6) did not allow a base runner until Travis Hafner's lead off single in the 5th. Hafner was quickly erased though as Victor Martinez bounced into a double play. By then the Yankees had a built up a 5-0 lead, thanks in part to the Indians shoddy defense.

Jason Giambi broke a scoreless tie in the 4th by following Derek Jeter's lead off double with his 26th home run of the season. Aaron Guiel picked up his first hit as a Yankee with one out in the sixth and came around to score on consecutive errors by right fielder Franklin Gutierrez and Jhonny Peralta. The Yankees took advantage of Cleveland starter Cliff Lee (6-8) as Jeter's 2nd of 3 hits drove in another run and Giambi's sacrifice fly to deep center field pushed the score to 5-0.

In the sixth the Yankees added a couple more as Bernie Williams and Andy Phillips singled to start the inning. With one out Miguel Cairo brought home Williams with a single and Jeter delivered a two-out RBI single of his own.

Johnson started to show some wear and tear in the 7th as Jason Michaels reached him for a solo home run to get the Indians on the board. Trailing 10-1 in the 8th the Tribe knocked Johnson out of the game with a 3 run outburst. Three straight singles loaded the bases before a Gutierrez force out brought one home. Jorge Posada's passed ball allowed a 2nd run to score before Kelly Shoppach drove in the final run with a single. Joe Torre allowed Johnson to face lefty Grady Sizemore before turning the game over to righty T.J. Beam for the final 4 outs.

Notes

Derek Jeter went 3-4 to raise his average to .348 and drove in 3 runs giving him 51 RBI in 78 games played. Jeter is just 19 RBI short of last season's total.

Matt Smith worked 12 scoreless innings, but was sent down to make room on the roster for Aaron Guiel. With Kris Wilson scheduled to start Sunday's game in Tampa, the Yankees needed to makes some roster adjustments.

Shawn Chacon has been the subject of rumors and none of them are good. Sources have the Yankees brass discussing designating him for assignment while there is also talk of a swap with the Seattle Mariners for their struggling right-hander Joel Pineiro. Chacon has already lost his spot in the starting rotation.

Randy Johnson's win was the 273rd of his career and the 10 wins this season tie him with Mike Mussina for the team lead. Hard to believe considering how much better Mussina has been this year.