Rodriguez belts ninth homer as Yankees rout Cleveland

Apr 19, 2007, 2:25 GMT

Bronx, NY - Alex Rodriguez continued his torrid start to the season by belting his major league-leading ninth homer, a two-run shot, as the Yankees routed Cleveland again, 9-2, in the second installment of a three- game series.

Rodriguez and Jason Giambi hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning and the Yankees broke the game open by scoring five times in the third, on the way to their third win in four games.

Derek Jeter had three hits and scored twice and Bobby Abreu added a pair of hits with two RBI for New York. Giambi also drove in two runs, as the Yankees pounded out 14 hits, following up Tuesday night's 10-3 romp.

Rodriguez has hit safely in each of the first 13 games of the season and 18 straight dating back to 2006. His average stands at .365 this year.

'He's swinging the bat really well,' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. 'In spring training, he didn't have a statistically great spring training, but I sensed that he was more relaxed. He's leaving every at bat behind - instead of trying to make up for them. It's not like you can 'relax' playing this game - more like intense instead of being tense.'

Kei Igawa (1-0) picked up his first major league win by allowing five hits and two runs over six innings. The 27-year-old left-hander, who played eight years with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese Central League before being signed by the Yankees last December, had five strikeouts against one walk.

Jeremy Sowers (0-1) was drilled for nine hits and six runs over 2 2/3 innings, as the Indians suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season.

Travis Hafner had three hits and an RBI for Cleveland, which was limited to five hits.

'We've played well here at times,' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. 'The starting pitching the last couple of nights is not what we need. The offense still not on track.'

Abreu's sacrifice fly scored Johnny Damon in the first inning, but the Indians went ahead in the third as Jason Michaels and Hafner each singled in runs.

The Yankees though took the lead for good in their half of the frame, sending 10 men to the plate. Jeter started the inning with a double and scored on Abreu's base hit up the middle. Rodriguez hit into a fielder's choice, but Giambi followed with a double down the right-field line to give the Yankees the lead.

Jorge Posada, Robinson Cano and Josh Phelps followed with consecutive singles, with Cano and Phelps each driving in a run for a 5-2 New York lead. Damon singled to right with two outs, scoring Cano and ending Sowers' night on the mound, as Tom Mastny replaced the lefty.

Jeter legged out an infield hit with one out in the sixth, and with two down Rodriguez got a hold of a pitch from Mastny and crushed the ball beyond the wall in left field.

'It's just been that I'm enjoying myself,' Rodriguez said. 'Sometimes you try to force things. This game is too complicated to try to do all that.'

Aaron Fultz then pitched to Giambi, who nailed a ball over the wall in right- center field.

Scott Proctor, Sean Henn and Chris Britton finished on the mound for the Yankees.

Game Notes

Cleveland's Fausto Carmona pitches against Darrell Rasner on Thursday. With Chase Wright starting Tuesday's game for the Yankees, Thursday will mark the first time since July 18-20, 1991 the Yankees have started rookies in three straight games prior to September. In 1991 it was Scott Kamieniecki, Jeff Johnson and Wade Taylor making those starts...Every Yankee starter had a hit...Rodriguez has at least one extra-base hit in 12 of his first 13 games...The Yankees have won 15 of the last 18 games at home versus the Indians.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

.