CLEVELAND -- The Yankees saved Aroldis Chapman from re-living a postseason nightmare.
On his first visit to Progressive Field since Game 7 of last year's World Series, Chapman was bailed out by sensational defensive plays from Brett Gardner and Ronald Torreyes in the ninth inning as New York hung on to beat the Cleveland Indians 2-1 on Saturday night and stop a four-game losing streak.
Last November, Chapman (4-2) nearly blew the Cubs' first World Series title since 1908 when he gave up a game-tying, two-run homer to Rajai Davis in the eighth inning. Chicago went on to win in extra innings but the left-hander's meltdown -- and Davis' dramatic shot -- remain two of the game's most enduring moments.
Chapman said he didn't think about that night.
"It was just another game," Chapman insisted.
It didn't feel like one.
Chapman allowed a leadoff single in the ninth before Jose Ramirez hit a fly to deep left that the 5-foot-11 Gardner grabbed with a jump on the warning track.
"It's a ball (6-foot-7, Aaron) Judge probably catches without having to jump. I was fortunate it wasn't 6 inches higher because it could be a different result in the game," Gardner said.
As Ramirez's ball headed to left, some of the Indians were convinced it was gone -- and they had gotten Chapman again.
"I'm pretty sure I saw some guys running around in the dugout," Indians catcher Yan Gomes said.
Edwin Encarnacion followed with a blooper toward right that looked destined to drop before Torreyes raced back and snared with a diving catch before sliding on his belly across the grass.
Chapman then went to a full count on Carlos Santana, who homered in the second inning, before striking him out with his 21st pitch of the inning for his 14th save.
The defensive gems were a nice change for the Yankees, who made three errors in the series opener and had another error, passed ball and two wild pitches on Friday.
Chase Headley homered with one out in the eighth inning off Zach McAllister (1-1) for the Yankees, who have been anything but Bronx Bombers lately.
Headley pulled a 0-1 curveball and his sixth homer barely cleared the wall in right. With top reliever Andrew Miller on the disabled list, Indians manager Terry Francona has limited late-game options and decided to go with McAllister, who allowed his first run in 11 1/3 innings.
"I didn't locate the pitch that I wanted to and it's frustrating," McAllister said.
The Yankees have scored just eight runs in the past five games and they managed only four hits through seven innings against Indians starter Danny Salazar, who struck out a career-high 12.
Daniel Robertson (5-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Dellin Betances worked the eighth before giving way to the fire-balling Chapman.
The Indians had their home winning streak stopped at nine games.
For seven innings, Salazar mostly dominated the Yankees, who managed just one run. It was the right-hander's third strong start since returning from the disabled list last month.
Salazar was hoarse afterward and didn't speak with reporters. He wriggled his way out of trouble in the first, got stronger as the game wore on, throwing a 98 mph fastball on his 110th pitch and striking out the side in the seventh to put an exclamation point on an outing that can only boost his confidence.
Over his last three starts, Salazar has a 1.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 28 innings.
"The guy comes out there, gives us seven innings, one run, 12 strikeouts," Gomes said. "Everyone was kind of iffy on how he was going to come back. He's healthy. We all know when he's healthy, he's a dangerous pitcher."
BACKSTOP BLUES
With starting catcher Gary Sanchez having defensive issues, Yankees manager Joe Girardi started Austin Romine behind the plate.
Sanchez committed his major league-leading 12th passed ball Friday night and Girardi, who caught for 15 seasons in the majors, was critical of his catcher. Sanchez hasn't been replaced, but Girardi is going to rest him when the schedule allows.
"Our goal is to get him better," Girardi said. "It's our responsibility to help him and we will do that."
JUDGE'S CHAMBERS
Judge is still struggling. He singled in the first inning, struck out twice and grounded out. The rookie slugger is hitting .178 (13 for 73) with 32 strikeouts since the All-Star break.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: DH Matt Holliday is headed to the disabled list with a sore lower back. Holliday tweaked his back while swinging during Friday's game and was kept out of the lineup. Holliday is batting just .136 (11 for 81) with one homer and four RBI since the All-Star break.
Indians: 2B Jason Kipnis will come off the disabled list Sunday and is expected to start the series finale. He's been out since before the All-Star break with a strained right hamstring.
UP NEXT
Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco didn't get out of the second inning in his previous start against Boston. He's 4-4 against the Yankees, who will start Luis Severino, who is 3-0 in his last five starts with a 1.36 ERA and 39 strikeouts.




Final
Series: Game 3 of 4

Yankees 2

(58-51, 26-31 away)

Indians 1

(59-49, 30-25 home)




7:10PM,EDT,August 5,2017
Progressive Field, Cleveland,Ohio 

123456789 R H E
NYY 100000010 2 5 0
CLE 010000000 1 6 0
W: D. Robertson (5-2)
L: Z. McAllister (1-1)
S: A. Chapman (14)





View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-PitchInning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
New York - Top of 1stSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Gardner walked.00
Headley struck out swinging.00
Judge singled to left, Gardner to second.00
Gregorius doubled to deep center, Gardner scored, Judge to third.10
Sánchez struck out looking.10
Ellsbury lined out to center.10
1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 1stSCORE
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Lindor doubled to left.10
Guyer struck out looking.10
Brantley grounded out to shortstop, Lindor to third.10
Ramírez grounded out to second.10
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 2ndSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
T. Frazier fouled out to first.10
Torreyes struck out swinging.10
Romine grounded out to shortstop.10
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 2ndSCORE
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Encarnación grounded out to second.10
Santana homered to left (382 feet).11
Jackson grounded out to shortstop.11
Gomes struck out swinging.11
1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 3rdSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Gardner walked.11
Headley struck out swinging.11
Judge struck out looking.11
Gregorius struck out swinging.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 3rdSCORE
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Urshela singled to deep right.11
Lindor struck out swinging.11
Guyer lined out to shortstop.11
Brantley lined out to right.11
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 4thSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Sánchez grounded out to shortstop.11
Ellsbury struck out swinging.11
T. Frazier struck out looking.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 4thSCORE
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Ramírez struck out swinging.11
Encarnación struck out swinging.11
Santana lined out to third.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 5thSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Torreyes grounded out to second.11
Romine flied out to right.11
Gardner singled to center.11
Headley flied out to center.11
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 5thSCORE
Jordan Montgomery pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Jackson struck out swinging.11
Gomes fouled out to shortstop.11
Urshela struck out swinging.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 6thSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Judge struck out swinging.11
Gregorius doubled to center.11
Sánchez walked.11
Ellsbury grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Sánchez out at second.11
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 6thSCORE
David Robertson pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Robertson relieved Montgomery.11
Lindor singled to deep right.11
Guyer flied out to center.11
Brantley singled to left, Lindor to second.11
Ramírez lined out to right.11
Encarnación struck out swinging.11
0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 7thSCORE
Danny Salazar pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
T. Frazier struck out looking.11
Torreyes struck out swinging.11
Romine struck out swinging.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 7thSCORE
David Robertson pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Santana grounded out to first.11
Zimmer hit for Jackson.11
Zimmer struck out swinging.11
Gomes grounded out to third.11
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 8thSCORE
Zach McAllister pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Zimmer in center field.11
McAllister relieved Salazar.11
Gardner struck out swinging.11
Headley homered to right center (388 feet).21
Judge grounded out to shortstop.21
Olson relieved McAllister.21
Gregorius grounded out to first.21
1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 8thSCORE
Dellin Betances pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Betances relieved Robertson.21
Urshela lined out to right.21
Lindor struck out looking.21
Guyer struck out looking.21
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
New York - Top of 9thSCORE
Nick Goody pitching for ClevelandNYYCLE
Goody relieved Olson.21
Sánchez struck out swinging.21
Ellsbury grounded out to third.21
T. Frazier walked.21
Torreyes struck out swinging.21
0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors
Cleveland - Bottom of 9thSCORE
Aroldis Chapman pitching for New YorkNYYCLE
Chapman relieved Betances.21
Brantley singled to right.21
Ramírez flied out to left.21
Encarnación popped out to second.21
Santana struck out looking.21
0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors




New York Yankees
HittersABRHRBIBBSO#PAVGOBPSLG
Gardner LF21102124.261.356.457
Headley 1B41110215.272.351.401
Judge RF40100216.299.425.623
Gregorius SS40210111.304.330.503
Sánchez DH30001216.265.339.488
Ellsbury CF40000116.241.322.347
T. Frazier 3B30001217.205.328.414
Torreyes 2B40000316.284.303.369
Romine C30000113.226.289.304
Totals31252415144   
BATTING
2B: Gregorius 2 (16, Salazar 2)
HR: Headley (6, 8th inning off McAllister 0 on, 1 Out)
RBI: Gregorius (54), Headley (43)
GIDP: Ellsbury
Yankees RISP: 1-4 (Sánchez 0-1, Gregorius 1-1, Ellsbury 0-2)
Team LOB: 6

Game Information

StadiumProgressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Attendance34,651 (94% full) - % is based on regular season capacity
Game Time2:58
Weather73 degrees, clear
Wind10 mph
UmpiresHome Plate - Angel Hernandez, First Base - John Tumpane, Second Base - Sean Barber, Third Base - Ted Barrett