Kevin Brown had the type of outing the Yankees expected him to make when they signed him.
Brown allowed one run and three hits during a 90-pitch outing in the New York Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.
“He was pretty explosive early, and I thought when he really stayed within himself and got the ball down, he was hard to deal with for the hitters,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “I was very pleased.”
Brown sailed through the first before two errors helped push his pitch count up in the second inning. He struck five and walked two.
“It’s a progression,” Brown said. “There are things to improve upon.”
Brown was slowed by a back injury last season, but is feeling good so far this year.
“There’s no doubt I’m better physically,” Brown said. “I’m not sitting around in pain all day.”
Brown struck out the side in the first before the Indians scored once in the second on Jose Hernandez’s RBI single. The Yankees committed a pair of errors during the second — one each by second baseman Tony Womack and third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
Brown threw 30 pitches in the second. He worked out of jam with two outs in the third by retiring Josh Bard on a grounder.
Brown retired the Indians in order in the fourth and allowed a two-out single in the fifth to Aaron Boone.
The Yankees took a 3-1 lead in the third on run-scoring singles by Gary Sheffield, Ruben Sierra and Hideki Matsui.
Jason Giambi, who has been working on hitting to the opposite-field, tripled to left-center with one out in the fifth. He scored on Sierra’s single to make it 4-1.
“I knew I had to take him out after that,” Torre said. “He got everybody’s attention when he went from second to third. It’s good. Driving the ball that far to left-center field, it’s a good sign for him.”
Giambi has eight triples in 1,344 regular-season games. He played at first base for the second time this spring for five innings, leaving the game after scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
“I think Joe felt sorry ... too far to run,” Giambi said with a smile. “It was a great night.”
Sheffield hit an RBI double, and Damian Rolls had a sacrifice fly during a two-run sixth that put the Yankees up 6-1.
Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore had an run-scoring single in the seventh.
Indians starter Steve Watkins gave up three runs and three hits over 2 2-3 innings. He threw 64 pitches.
Notes: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (elbow) and RHP Paul Quantrill (ribs) are scheduled to pitch Tuesday night. ... New York SS Derek Jeter (bruised foot) might return Tuesday. ... Cleveland RHP Kevin Millwood will pitch in a minor league game Tuesday. The Indians have an off day. ... Yankees CF Bernie Williams (upper back) underwent treatment and is expected to miss at least a few more games. ... Boone received a nice ovation when he was announced before batting in the first. Boone hit the game-winning homer for the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against Boston. ... Matsui received treatment, including icing after batting practice, for some tightness in his right elbow. He had two hits in four at-bats, and is 14-for-39 with five homers and 15 RBIs this spring. ... Rodriguez struck out twice in three at-bats. He has struck 10 times in 44 at-bats overall.
Brown allowed one run and three hits during a 90-pitch outing in the New York Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night.
“He was pretty explosive early, and I thought when he really stayed within himself and got the ball down, he was hard to deal with for the hitters,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “I was very pleased.”
Brown sailed through the first before two errors helped push his pitch count up in the second inning. He struck five and walked two.
“It’s a progression,” Brown said. “There are things to improve upon.”
Brown was slowed by a back injury last season, but is feeling good so far this year.
“There’s no doubt I’m better physically,” Brown said. “I’m not sitting around in pain all day.”
Brown struck out the side in the first before the Indians scored once in the second on Jose Hernandez’s RBI single. The Yankees committed a pair of errors during the second — one each by second baseman Tony Womack and third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
Brown threw 30 pitches in the second. He worked out of jam with two outs in the third by retiring Josh Bard on a grounder.
Brown retired the Indians in order in the fourth and allowed a two-out single in the fifth to Aaron Boone.
The Yankees took a 3-1 lead in the third on run-scoring singles by Gary Sheffield, Ruben Sierra and Hideki Matsui.
Jason Giambi, who has been working on hitting to the opposite-field, tripled to left-center with one out in the fifth. He scored on Sierra’s single to make it 4-1.
“I knew I had to take him out after that,” Torre said. “He got everybody’s attention when he went from second to third. It’s good. Driving the ball that far to left-center field, it’s a good sign for him.”
Giambi has eight triples in 1,344 regular-season games. He played at first base for the second time this spring for five innings, leaving the game after scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
“I think Joe felt sorry ... too far to run,” Giambi said with a smile. “It was a great night.”
Sheffield hit an RBI double, and Damian Rolls had a sacrifice fly during a two-run sixth that put the Yankees up 6-1.
Cleveland’s Grady Sizemore had an run-scoring single in the seventh.
Indians starter Steve Watkins gave up three runs and three hits over 2 2-3 innings. He threw 64 pitches.
Notes: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (elbow) and RHP Paul Quantrill (ribs) are scheduled to pitch Tuesday night. ... New York SS Derek Jeter (bruised foot) might return Tuesday. ... Cleveland RHP Kevin Millwood will pitch in a minor league game Tuesday. The Indians have an off day. ... Yankees CF Bernie Williams (upper back) underwent treatment and is expected to miss at least a few more games. ... Boone received a nice ovation when he was announced before batting in the first. Boone hit the game-winning homer for the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against Boston. ... Matsui received treatment, including icing after batting practice, for some tightness in his right elbow. He had two hits in four at-bats, and is 14-for-39 with five homers and 15 RBIs this spring. ... Rodriguez struck out twice in three at-bats. He has struck 10 times in 44 at-bats overall.
