Yankees 5, Indians 4 (F/14): Jacoby Ellsbury plays the hero in extras

On the day that the Yankees' season possibly ended with the news of Masahiro Tanaka going on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, Brandon McCarthy made his Bombers debut, giving up just one earned runs on 6 2/3 innings of work, but ended up with a no-decision, as the Yankees beat the Indians, 5-4, thanks to a go-ahead solo homerun by Jacoby Ellsbury in the 14th inning.

McCarthy's career got off to a rocky start when the Indians put up three runs in the 1st inning -- none of them actually earned.

Jason Kipnis opened the 1st inning with a single off McCarthy. Michael Brantley singled to put runners on 1st and second with one out, then Carlos Santana loaded the bases with a fielder's choice -- Santana hit a ground ball to Mark Teixeira, who threw the ball into Brantley going to second base, rolling away. A batter later, Lonnie Chisenhall grounded out to second base, scoring a run from third base to put the Indians up 1-0. Nick Swisher followed up with a two-run single that made it a 3-0 game.

The Yankees grabbed a run back in the 4th inning when Teixeira hit a solo homerun to right-field off of Josh Tomlin, putting the Yankees on the board.

New York took the lead for a moment in the top of the 5th inning with a three-run frame that would put them ahead by a run. Jacoby Ellsbury doubled and Derek Jeter singled back-to-back with one out to put runners on 1st and 3rd. Brian McCann hit a sac-fly to score Ellsbury, then Teixeira hit a two-run homerun, his second of the game -- 17th of the season -- to put the Bombers up 4-3.

Cleveland got their only earned run against McCarthy in the bottom half of the 5th inning. Santana doubled two batters after Asdrubal Cabrera doubled, driving him home to tie the score at 4-4.

I didn't get to see much of McCarthy's start, but he lasted 6.2 inning, giving up four runs (one earned) on nine hits, with a walk and three strikeouts on 107 pitches.

With the score tied at four runs apiece, nobody would score again for a really long time.

Tomlin lasted seven quality innings for the Indians, giving up four runs on eight hits; he struck out five and didn't walk anybody on 96 pitches.

Matt Thornton recorded the final out of the 7th inning behind McCarthy -- the only out he needed to get. Dellin Betances worked a three up, three down 8th inning with a pair of strikeouts. Adam Warren helped send the game to extra innings with a scoreless 9th, then retired the lead off hitter in the 10th. David Huff entered the game, and exited after walking the bases loaded on three straight batters without recording an out. Luckily Shawn Kelley was able to come on and get the final two outs of the inning to leave the bases loaded.

Kelley worked a quick 11th inning, then Chase Whitley, who will likely be moved back to the rotation with Tanaka going on the DL, tossed two scoreless innings.

Whitley credited with the win after Ellsbury hit a solo homerun off of Vinnie Pestano in the top of the 14th inning, his 6th dinger of the season, to finally break the deadlock. That paved the way for David Robertson to work out of some danger in the bottom half of the inning.

With Kipnis on second base with two outs, Kelly Johnson dropped a pop fly in foul territory while running back to get it. Given a second chance, Brantley hit a fly ball to left field that had Zoilo Almonte make the catch over his shoulder on the run to end the game.

The Yankees and Indians will conclude this series today at 7:05 pm ET. David Phelps and TJ House will be on the mound for their respective teams.

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