Fausto Carmona gives up six runs on eight hits in four poor innings against the Yankees.

View full sizeDavid Pokress l Newsday via MCTIndians pitcher Fausto Carmona gave up six runs in four innings against the Yankees on the way to his fifth straight loss.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The big one is here.

Manager Manny Acta, when talking about the Indians poor play since late May, has qualified it by saying that they've been able to avoid the really long slumps that other teams have experienced this season. No longer.

The Indians lost to the Yankees, 11-7, Friday night at Yankee Stadium. It was their seventh loss in the last eight games and their 12th in the last 15. If this isn't the big slump Acta keeps saying have avoided, it's pretty darn close.

The seven runs were the most the Indians have scored since their 13-9 victory over Toronto on June 1.

The Yankees took batting practice against Fausto Carmona (3-8, 5.71), who lost his fifth straight decision. Carmona's only recourse was to start a bench-clearing incident when he hit Mark Teixeira with a pitch in the second inning. Curtis Granderson, who owns Carmona, had just hit a long homer down the right field line. Carmona responded by hitting Teixeira in the back with a pitch and the first baseman was not pleased.

He started yelling at Carmona as he walked down the first baseline. Carmona came off the mound and motioned several times with his glove to Teixeira to come and get him. Both teams came onto the field and in the middle of the scrum, to the surprise of many, the mild-mannered Acta and Yankee manager Joe Girardi had to be separated after screaming at each other.

That was about all the excitement the Indians could muster because Carmona couldn't find the strike zone.

He walked three Yankees in the first and they all scored. Derek Jeter came home on Robinson Cano's bases-loaded single. Nick Swisher delivered Teixeira with a sacrifice fly and Jorge Posada, hitting all of .203 at the start of the game, sent a two-out single into center to score Rodriguez for a 3-0 lead.

Granderson's homer made it 4-0.

In the third, Brett Gardner doubled home Cano and Rodriguez homered in the fourth to make it 6-0.

Carmona did not come out for the fifth. He allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings. He walked three, struck out two and threw 93 pitches.

In his last six starts, Carmona has allowed 33 earned runs in 35 innings for a 8.49 ERA.

The Indians scored their first run on Michael Brantley's fielder's choice in the fourth. Matt LaPorta and Cord Phelps opened the inning with singles against Ivan Nova (5-4, 4.30). The single was Phelps first big-league hit.

After Jack Hannahan walked with one out to load the bases, Brantley sent a chopper to first.

Carlos Santana made it a 6-2 game when he homered in the sixth. It was Santana's seventh homer and first since May 17.

The Yankees took advantage of a Santana throwing error in the sixth to stretch their lead to 7-2. With Granderson on second and Teixeira on first, the Yankees worked a double steal as Frank Herrmann struck out Robinson Cano. Santana had time to get Granderson at third, but his throw was high and sailed down the left field line as Granderson scored.

Hard to say who pitched worse for the Tribe, Carmona or Chad Durbin. Durbin pitched out of a jam in the sixth, but then gave up four runs on four hits in the seventh. After Durbin loaded the bases with one out, Teixeira hit a three-run double to the fence in right center. Rodriguez doubled past a diving Grady Sizemore in center field.

Jeter contributed to the rally with a double for his 2,991 hit.

Rafael Perez had to come into a bases-loaded, one-out situation to bring the inning to a close with two straight outs.

The Indians added their third run in the eighth when Phelps drew a bases-loaded walk against rookie Kevin Whelan for his first RBI. Orlando Cabrera took a called third strike to end the inning with the bases loaded and was ejected by arguing with plate umnpire Dale Scott.

The Tribe made it 11-5 in the ninth on Santana's single and Shin-Soo Choo's bases-loaded walk with one out against Lance Pendleton. Girardi called for closer Mariano Rivera even though the Yankees held a six-run lead.  LaPorta greeted him with a two-run double to make it 11-7.

Rivera, however, retired Phelps and Adam Everett to end it.   

Manager Manny Acta says Cord Phelps will play second base against most right-handers, while Cabrera will play against left-handers.

Chuck Crow l The Plain DealerOrlando Cabrera says he's surprised that he will lose some playing time at second base to rookie Cord Phelps. Cabrera, hitting .192 since May 3 going into Friday's game, will continue to see playing time against lefties.

NEW YORK — Orlando Cabrera is neutral about losing playing time at second base to rookie Cord Phelps.

"I don't feel good or bad about it," Cabrera said before Friday's game against the Yankees. "It is what it is."

The veteran infielder did admit to being surprised by the timing of the move.

"Maybe I was naive and didn't think that would ever happen with the team in first place," Cabrera said. "Yes, it took me by surprise in that particular moment. But we'll see what happens. There's still a lot of games to play."

The Indians entered Friday's game with a one-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central.

The Indians recalled Phelps from Class AAA Columbus on Wednesday to try to spark a stagnant offense. Manager Manny Acta said Phelps will play second against most right-handers, while Cabrera will play against left-handers. Acta made it a point to say that move was not permanent and that Cabrera's days as an every-day player might not be over.

Cabrera is hitting .228 (33-for-145) against right-handers and .290 (18-for-62) against lefties. He started Friday at second base against right-hander Ivan Nova, while Phelps was at DH because Travis Buck was scratched from the lineup after being involved in a "minor" accident earlier in the day while a passenger in a New York City cab.

Since May 3, Cabrera has hit .192 (20-for-104). The slump has dropped his average from .301 to .246.

In making the move, Acta told reporters he met with Cabrera and that Cabrera was disappointed, but handled the news well.

"I don't feel disappointed at all," he said. "I just don't feel anything bad or good."

When asked if he felt he could still be an every-day player, Cabrera said: "It's hard to say. People are always going to pinpoint one thing or one number. For me, average means nothing. That's why they call it an average. You don't get your average the first day. You don't get your average in the middle of the season. You get your average at the end of the season."

Later he added: "I don't expect myself to hit .400 an entire year. I've never done it. How can I expect that from myself? What I expect from myself is to win almost every day and to go home feeling happy we're still in first place.

"After that, there's so many things that can go wrong or right. You can evaluate through the whole year. No one can tell me if I can still play or not. . . . This is one of the ways they feel they can fix it. I can't do nothing about that."

Cabrera, 36, was one of the first players to greet Phelps when he walked into the locker room at Progressive Field.

"I don't know how you guys expected me to react," Cabrera said. "He's not the one who made the decision. I think he's a tremendous player and, hopefully, he does great for us. I greet him the same way I greet anybody."

Fender bender: Acta said Buck and his wife were sent to a hospital Friday after the New York City cab in which they were passengers was involved in an accident.

Buck, scheduled to DH Friday night against the Yankees, reported to Yankee Stadium. Trainers examined him and suggested he and his wife go to the hospital.

"We sent them for precautionary reasons," Acta said. "The trainers felt Travis looked a little dazed. He may have whiplash."

Buck rejoined his teammates just before game time Friday. He was in uniform for the game.

Nice swing: Travis Hafner took batting practice Friday for the first time since straining his oblique muscle May 18.

"Everything felt good," Hafner said.

After taking three rounds of BP, Hafner ran the bases as Acta watched.

Hafner is scheduled to take BP again Sunday and Monday. Then the Indians will discuss his rehab assignment.

"Travis swung the bat very well," Acta said. "It was good to see. He was effortless and right on time."

Hannahan says his left hamstring still reminds him from time to time that it's probably not completely healed.

Mark Duncan / Associated PressAlthough his hamstring is improving, a home-run trot is still the safest speed on the bases for Tribe third baseman Jack Hannahan.

Clubhouse confidential: Tribe third baseman Jack Hannahan says his left hamstring still reminds him from time to time that it's probably not completely healed, but he did not feel it a bit when he homered with two out in the ninth inning against the Twins on Wednesday.

Hannahan's homer pulled the Indians into a 2-2 tie.

"The way the season has gone for us, I thought we'd win it after that," Hannahan said.

It didn't work out that way as the Twins scored in the 10th for a 3-2 victory.

Thanks for the help: Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter entered Friday's game against the Indians needing 10 hits to reach 3,000. The Indians have done their part to send Jeter to the Hall of Fame.

He has 164 hits against the Indians, including 90 at Progressive Field.

The most recent player to reach 3,000 hits against the Indians was Tampa Bay's Wade Boggs on Aug. 7, 1999, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Stat of the day: Carlos Santana entered Friday's game with 42 walks, tied for third in the American League.

-- Paul Hoynes

Mentor defensive end Tom Strobel commits to Michigan.

Mentor defensive end Tom Strobel says he'll play his college football for the Michigan Wolverines.

Mentor High's Tom Strobel plans to wear maize and blue.

Strobel, 17, gave his oral commitment to play football for Michigan on Friday. The 6-6, 255-pound Strobel said playing defensive end for the Wolverines was the right fit for him.

"It was one of the hardest decisions of my life," said Strobel, who will be a senior for the Cardinals. "It was everything I could ask for. The campus, it was great. The academics fit. Plus, it was close to home."

Strobel said the recent developments at Ohio State were not that major in his decision. Besides the Buckeyes, he said he was also being recruited by Michigan State, Stanford, Notre Dame and Nebraska.

"It really didn't affect my decision whatsoever," said Strobel, regarding the OSU situation. "I have all the respect for the [OSU] coaches and school. I just fell in love with Michigan."

Strobel, who also played tight end, had 16 solo tackles, 16 assists, five tackles for loss, two sacks, 30 quarterback pressures, caused three fumbles and recovered two. He was sidelined for a time last season with a neck injury.

"He was probably one of our most complete players when it comes to size, speed and work ethic," said Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno. "He's the complete package and a good student."

Strobel said he plans to major in business and finance.

"They have one of the best business programs," said Strobel. "It feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders."

A Cleveland fan recalls sneaking into Cleveland Municipal Stadium with his friends and attempting to spend the night at the ballpark before a Sunday doubleheader.

This spring, we asked readers to tell us their best memory at an Indians game. More than 600 responded. The five finalists and winner were featured during the week leading up to Opening Day. All season long, The Plain Dealer will publish other fan memories -- one each day the Indians are scheduled to play. Here is today's essay by John Dujan of Cleveland:

I have been a Tribe fan since I was 8 years old, some 54 years now. My heroes growing up were Woodie Held, Vic Power, Rocky Colavito, Bubba Phillips. I would go to 25 or 30 games a year. Sundays were a must, since it would be a doubleheader. Old Cleveland Municipal Stadium was great, especially with the exploding scoreboard. I have seen a lot of special games -- Frank Robinson hitting a home run in his first at-bat with Cleveland; four home runs hit in a row, including one by the pitcher; Dick Donovan hitting two home runs in one game and also throwing a two-hit shutout; and Lenny Barker's perfect game were just a few. I was at all Opening Day games until Jacobs Field opened and still have most of the ticket stubs. I was lucky once to get a foul ball off the bat of Chuck Hinton, who then played for the Washington Senators.

To go to the games, we picked up pop bottles to take to the stores to earn cash, cut people's lawns or did anything else we could. In 1962, I went to see the Yankees play on a Saturday afternoon with two of my friends. Each of us had a small duffel bag, which had some food and a blanket in it. We planned on spending the night inside the stadium so we could see the Sunday doubleheader. We told our parents that we were spending the night at each others' houses.

After the game, we headed to the upper deck in Section 1, Row Z. We lay on the ground and watched out for any guard. Around 11 p.m., we headed for the restroom, and we were spotted going back to our hiding spot.

As we tried to crawl from one row to another, he caught one of my friends, so we had to give up. He escorted us down to the bleachers entrance and told us to get home. He was pretty cool about it and laughed, saying it was a nice try. He told us to come back on Sunday at game time, and he let us into the bleachers. All three of us were 13 at the time. A lot of fun times.

Gladiators receiver Robert Redd believes the team is better than its 6-5 record.

View full sizeGladiators receiver Robert Redd.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — An angry bunch of Gladiators will take to the carpet tonight at The Q.

They have Pittsburgh to thank for the mood.

The Gladiators, coming off a 35-32 road loss to the Pittsburgh Power, face the Georgia Force (7-5). Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Against the Power, the Gladiators were intercepted late in the fourth quarter. Neither team scored in the fourth. The Power (7-4) pulled one game ahead of the Gladiators (6-5) atop the Arena Football League's American East.

"Losing to Pittsburgh is bad enough, because it's Pittsburgh," Gladiators receiver Robert Redd said. "Losing the way we did, with the division lead on the line . . . was devastating. We absolutely should have won.

"But no one around here is hanging his head. We're all ticked off, and it showed in practice this week. We're hungry for a win, to get that taste out of our mouth."

Redd has circled July 15 in black and red ink. It is the date the Power comes to Cleveland, the penultimate game of the 18-game regular season.

"I can't wait for the Pittsburgh rematch," he said. "We're all looking forward to it. But we know we've got a job to do before then.

"We're not looking past anybody, especially a very good team like Georgia."

Redd thinks the Gladiators are better than their record. Much better.

"We have all the tools you need to be a great team and compete for a title," he said. "We've given away two games, at least.

"I'm not taking away anything from the teams that beat us, but we've beaten ourselves a lot. You watch the film, and you see it."

Gladiators coach Steve Thonn has watched the film. He agrees with Redd -- to a point.

"Our record could be better, but we are what we are," Thonn said. "There's a reason we're 6-5. We need to be more consistent on offense."

The Gladiators opened the season by scoring 61 and 66 in road victories over Spokane and Tampa Bay, respectively. They scored 55 against Chicago at home to move to 3-0.

In going 3-5 since, the Gladiators have topped 50 just twice. They scored fewer than 35 in three of the defeats.

"As a player on the offensive side, I take it super-personal when we don't score enough," said Redd, who leads his team with 63 receptions and 814 yards.

"No excuses. We've let the 'D' down, but those guys have stuck with us and supported us. They know that once we get it rolling, we're going to be hard to stop."

The Gladiators are living with the inconsistencies a rookie quarterback brings. Kurt Rocco, from Mount Union, replaced injured veteran John Dutton against Spokane.

"Kurt is very talented and keeps getting better," Thonn said. "We have confidence he can get us where we need to go."

Rocco could use a return of receiver Troy Bergeron, but it will not happen this week, Thonn said. Bergeron continues to be sidelined because of a shoulder injury.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

The Kinston Indians rally to beat Myrtle Beach, while the Lake County Captains lose in the 10th inning at Beloit, Wis.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Friday night's International League game between the host Columbus Clippers and the Rochester, N.Y., Red Wings was suspended because of inclement weather, with the Clippers leading, 5-1, in the bottom of the third inning. The teams will resume play when the Clippers head to Rochester for a four-game series beginning Aug. 12.

Notes: Entering Friday, INF Luis Valbuena had hit safely in 19 straight games, batting .431 (28-for-65) during the longest streak in the International League this season. INF Jason Kipnis went 3-for-4 as the leadoff batter in Thursday's game and is hitting .414 (12-for-29) with three home runs in eight games at the top of the order.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 9, Senators 5 RF Matt McBride (.279) hit a grand slam to cap a seven-run third inning to lead Akron to victory in an Eastern League game in Harrisburg, Pa.

Notes: LHP Matt Packer was placed on the disabled list. RHP Steve Wright was brought up from Lake County to replace him on the roster.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 4, Pelicans 3 Abner Abreu singled in Bo Greenwell with the go-ahead run during a three-run eighth inning to lead host Kinston to victory over Myrtle Beach (S.C.) in a Carolina League game.

A Lake County Captains

Snappers 3, Captains 2 Lake County's Rob Bryson (0-1, 3.38) gave up a two-out run in the bottom of the 10th inning as host Beloit (Wis.) won the Midwest League game.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Miners 2, Crushers 1 Lake Erie outhit Southern Illinois, 8-7, but the Crushers lost the Frontier League game in Avon.

Willie Brown of Akron has a seventh-place time of 1:47.02 in the finals of the 800 meters.

Kent State freshman Melissa Kurzdorfer finished 12th in the hammer throw (193-2).

Willie Brown of Akron had a seventh-place time of 1:47.02 in the finals of the 800 meters as four Akron athletes participated. Katherine Lee of the Zips was 15th in the pole vault and Bjorn Johansson was 17th in the decathlon. Collister Fahie placed 12th in the long jump (25-7 1/4).

The final leg of the Triple Crown features not only the rubber match between Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford today, but the top seven finishers from the Derby for the first time as well.

View full sizeMark Lennihan l Associated PressAnimal Kingdom is the 2-1 favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds as he attempts to become the 12th horse to complete a Derby-Belmont double.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Even without a Triple Crown on the line, the 143rd Belmont Stakes might indeed be the "Test of Champions."

The final leg of the Triple Crown features not only the rubber match between Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford today, but the top seven finishers from the Derby for the first time as well.

"Why did everyone pick this year to come back?" wondered a smiling Graham Motion, who trains Animal Kingdom.

After watching his Derby winner gallop around the 1 1/2-mile main track at Belmont Park on Friday morning, Motion declared his colt in "great form" and up to the challenge of taking on a slew of rivals for the third time in five weeks.

"To have seven horses come back from the Derby, and to have the winner of the Preakness and Derby, what more can you want?" Motion said. "Everyone wants to see a Triple Crown winner, but ultimately this is the test of champions and I think this really is going to be that test."

Animal Kingdom is the 2-1 favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds as he attempts to become the 12th horse to complete a Derby-Belmont double.

The most recent to succeed was Thunder Gulch in 1995.

''Derby runner-up Nehro is the second choice at 4-1, with Shackleford next at 9-2 as he tries to become the 19th horse to take the Preakness and Belmont.

Ahmed Zayat, who owns Nehro, can't wait to see what happens. Of course, he's hoping his colt will shed his bridesmaid reputation after second-place finishes in the Louisiana, Arkansas and Kentucky derbies.

"This race will be something special," he said. "It's another Derby at the test of champions."

The matchup of a Derby winner against a Preakness winner in the 11/2-mile Belmont doesn't occur often. This will be the 22nd time it's happened, and first since 2005 when Preakness winner Afleet Alex defeated Derby winner Giacomo. Preakness winners have won 10 times, Derby winners five times.

Short of a Triple Crown bid, "this is going to be one of the most exciting Belmonts I can remember," Shackleford's trainer Dale Romans said.

The New York Racing Association is hoping for a crowd of 60,000, far less than the record 120,139 that showed up for Smarty Jones' Triple Crown try in 2004. Weather could be a factor with forecasts calling for a 60 percent chance of rain, with thunderstorms possible by late afternoon, and temperatures in the high 60s.

Motion and Romans have said a wet track shouldn't be a problem for their horses, while long shot Ruler On Ice has won over a sloppy dirt track before.

With one long lap around the only 1 1/2-mile track in North America, the Belmont has been full of surprises. Since Thunder Gulch won as the favorite in '95, only two others have done the same -- Point Given in 2001 and Afleet Alex in '05. Long shots have been coming home first on a regular basis. Last year it was 13-1 Drosselmeyer, two years ago Summer Bird at 11-1, and three years ago Da' Tara at 38-1. Birdstone spoiled Smarty Jones' bid for immortality at odds of 36-1, and Sarava ended War Emblem's Triple try in 2002 as a 70-1 shot.

How this Belmont unfolds is anybody's guess. One thing for certain is Shackleford will shoot for the lead from the outside No. 12 post under Jesus Castanon. The long, lanky colt led into the stretch at the Derby but couldn't hold off the closers and finished fourth. Then in the Preakness, he quickened the pace and held off Animal Kingdom to win by a half-length.

"He's going to break and go to the lead," Romans said, "and we'll see how far he can go."

An intriguing outsider is Master of Hounds, a European invader who ran a commendable fifth in the Derby, and is back for another go on the deep, sandy Belmont track.

"He'll definitely put up a good show here," trainer Aidan O'Brien's assistant T.J. Comerford said. "The 1 1/2 miles will hit him on the head."

Mucho Macho Man joins Animal Kingdom and Shackleford as the only horses to run in all three Triple Crown races this year. The colt trained by heart-transplant recipient Kathy Ritvo was third in the Derby and sixth in the Preakness after losing a front shoe at the start.

Fitted with new glue-on shoes, Mucho Macho Man is listed at 10-1 with Ramon Dominguez -- New York's leading rider -- aboard for the first time.

"These are tough horses," Ritvo said of this year's 3-year-old crop, considered by some to be a mediocre group due to the slow winning times in the Derby and Preakness. "All three that have run in all these races are competitive. It's not like anybody's running bad races."

Ritvo hopes it's her colt's turn to wind up in the winner's circle.

"With his long stride he's not going to be getting tired in the stretch," Ritvo said.

While the issue will be settled on the track, that hasn't prevented a little trash talking during the week. Outspoken Barry Irwin, whose Team Valor International owns Animal Kingdom, kicked off a friendly feud with Romans when he said he wasn't worried about Shackleford and proclaimed that Mucho Macho Man was the horse to beat.

Romans was quick with his reply: "That may not be the stupidest thing Barry's ever said, but it's close."

Dean Reeves, the majority owner of Mucho Macho Man, got in on the fun, too, saying he agreed with Irwin's assessment.

"We think we have the best horse in the country," Reeves said. "We just need to prove it, and hope Saturday we'll do that."

It was 50 years ago a thoroughbred colt named Carry Back exploded on the national racing scene, a home-bred campaigned by Jack and Katherine Price of Shaker Heights. Crowned the "people's champion" by folks along the rail, Carry Back came within a whisker in 1961 of bringing home the fabled Triple Crown to the Price's 50-acre Dorchester Farms in Kirtland.

View full sizeAssociated PressKatherine Price of Shaker Heights leads her horse Carry Back from the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs after winning the Kentucky Derby in 1961. Price owned the horse with her husband, Jack Price. Jockey Johnny Sellers rode Carry Back to victory in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Fifty years ago, a thoroughbred colt named Carry Back exploded on the national racing scene, a homebred campaigned by Jack and Katherine Price of Shaker Heights.

Crowned the "people's champion" by folks along the rail, Carry Back came within a whisker in 1961 of bringing home the fabled Triple Crown to the Prices' 50-acre Dorchester Farms in Kirtland.

Just as Seabiscuit raised the communal spirit of America during the Great Depression almost 30 years before, Carry Back captured the affection of blue-collar racing fans across the county.

He was the perfect equine hero for books and, perhaps, a hit movie, too. There were so many story lines, from smiling Jack Price's early interest in bookmaking and owning horses after graduating from Central High School in Cleveland in 1924; to his success in the family tool-and-die business in the 1940s; and his surprising ability years later to train and race the most famous race horse in America.

And there was Triple Crown success, something Seabiscuit never attained.

In the early 1940s, Price and his brothers bought Winslow Manufacturing Co. in Cleveland, producing World War II goods no one else seemed able to build.

A brash young man, Price worked hard and relished every minute he could spend with his horses or at Thistledown and Randall Park in the golden days of local racing.

Price disdained the traditions of thoroughbred racing, and especially the mantra of breeding the best to the best and hoping for the best.

View full sizeAPSherluck races across the finish line well in front to win the Belmont Stakes at New York's Belmont Park on June 3, 1961. Carry Back is far back, closest to the rail on the right. He finished sixth.

The gracious Katherine Price, an ideal buffer for her husband, was listed as Carry Back's breeder and owner. It was her husband, though, who was the guiding force behind the four-legged racing star.

Taking a chance

In the early 1950s, Price sold his share of the family business to his brothers so he could concentrate on his small racing stable and take a stab at horse breeding. He was quick to tell people he was in the racing game for the money. If a horse didn't boost his bankroll, Price would find one that did.

But Price had a soft spot in his heart. When a horseman couldn't pay a bill for boarding a mare at Dorchester Farms Price forgave the $150 boarding bill, and gave the owner $150 more to buy the cantankerous mare, Joppy.

The only blue blood flowing in Joppy's veins was from a paternal grandsire, Blenheim II, an English racing star. Joppy showed no promise, with a couple of place finishes in seven starts, career earnings of $325, and a penchant for refusing to leave the Thistledown starting gate.

That was enough for Thistledown officials to banish Joppy from racing and fulfill her destiny as a broodmare.

Price shipped Joppy and two other broodmares to his new Dorchester Farm in Ocala, Fla. There would be a stop in Maryland to hook up with Saggy, an inexpensive stallion. Saggy had credentials, with English stakes winners in his family tree. The stud fee was $750. Price negotiated that down to three breedings for $400 each, and his mares arrived in Florida ready to give birth in a few months.

Saggy's claims to fame included defeating Triple Crown winner Citation in the Aberdeen Stakes at Maryland's Havre de Grace Racetrack, and posting a world mark of 51.4 seconds in a 4 1/2-furlong race.

But the match of Saggy and Joppy wouldn't turn a single head at the horse sales. The yearling Carry Back -- named for an accounting term -- didn't stand out from the crowd.

Carry Back's lack of respect could be attributed to a slowness to mature or a lack of size and noticeable speed when the 2-year-old made his debut. Carry Back's nondescript breeding was definitely not a selling point.

Seabiscuit's grandpa was the fabled Man O' War, his father the promising but ill-tempered Hard Tack. Carry Back's mom and dad were Joppy and Saggy. Rarely have two humdrum race horses combined to produce such a stakes star.

"Carry Back wasn't much to look at as a 2-year-old," said Streetsboro's Tony Rini, a longtime jockey who trains a string of thoroughbreds at Thistledown. Rini, who was a 20-year-old apprentice jockey in 1960, worked Carry Back for Price at New Jersey's Garden State Park and was offered the chance to become Carry Back's jockey.

Rini turned Carry Back down in favor of a more promising horse, Beautiful AM.

"Who knew?" said Rini.

Some early success

While topnotch 2-year-olds are raced carefully and sparingly, Carry Back made a whopping 21 starts as a freshman, a couple of them in $2,500 claiming races.

Price told the New York Times he set out to race Carry Back early and often as a 2-year-old, "wanting to get as much out of Carry Back as possible before he faded." Price believed Carry Back to be a sprinter, but told the Times that Carry Back thrived on work and the longer the distances, the better he got.

Sporting the blue and silver colors of Dorchester Farm, Carry Back posted five wins -- taking two big New York stakes races and New Jersey's ultra-rich $172,782 Garden State -- to earn a hefty $286,299. That would be almost $2 million today.

For Carry Back's 3-year-old season, Price matched the horse with tall, lanky jockey Johnny Sellers, and sparks flew. Sellers had a gift for taking his young sophomore star's come-from-behind efforts and turning them into victories.

The 3-year-old season started with a stumble, Carry Back finishing fourth in the seven-furlong Bahamas Stakes. The colt righted himself with three wins in a row, including the Everglades and Flamingo stakes. After a third in the Fountain of Youth, Carry Back won the Florida Derby. In his last prep for the Kentucky Derby, Carry Back came up short, unable to catch Globemaster in the Wood Memorial.

In the 1961 Derby, Sellers, who died last July, dazzled thoroughbred racing by riding Carry Back to victory. It wasn't so much that Carry Back won the Run for the Roses. It was how he did it against the best 3-year-olds in the nation.

Carry Back had already unleashed amazing stretch drives to deflate powerhouse performers, prompting Churchill Downs bettors to make him the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. When Carry Back broke in 11th place and trailed the leaders by 16 lengths in the backstretch, a win seemed unlikely.

Sellers pushed Carry Back to the outside in the final turn, taking aim at the five horses in front of him. Carry Back roared past the tiring early leader, Globemaster, and set his sights on Crozier. The two were locked in a duel to the final 1/16-mile, where Carry Back began to pull away for a 3/4-length victory.

The Kentucky Derby was on national television in 1961, cementing Carry Back's celebrity.

Price wasn't a gracious winner. He was quoted going into the Preakness two weeks later that after watching the top 3-year-olds race in the Kentucky Derby, "either Carry Back is a great horse, or everything else is a bum."

The fans came to expect the big closing effort and Carry Back gave it to them again in the Preakness. Sellers was more careful, keeping Carry Back a bit closer to the early leaders, and it paid off with a win over Globemaster in the stretch.

Triple Crown in sight

With Triple Crown fever setting in, "the people's champion" and Price were ready for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes in June. The longest of the Triple Crown races, the Belmont Stakes at New York's Belmont Park was designed for Carry Back's style of running. The fans made him the 2-5 favorite.

But Carry Back hit a front ankle during the race, a stinging injury that took the usual fire out of him. He faded to seventh in the nine-horse field. Sherluck, a 65-1 shot that Carry Back had easily beaten in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, slammed the door on the Triple Crown.

Price wasn't about to give what he called his "four-legged money machine" much of a rest. The swelling in Carry Back's ankle quickly went down, and he was soon back at the races. Carry Back would make six more starts in 1961, winning a trio of stakes races before being named the country's top 3-year-old.

Carry Back raced as a 4-year-old, with Hall of Fame jockey Johnny "Gentleman John" Rotz in the saddle instead of Sellers.

They won the Metropolitan Mile, Whitney Stakes, Monmouth Handicap and the Trenton Handicap for the second time. Carry Back defeated the mighty Kelso twice that year, and became the first thoroughbred to win more than $1 million.

Price decided to retire Carry Back to stud, but brought him to the races in August 1963, giving the hometown fans a thrill by racing him in the Cleveland area for the first time in the $34,150 Buckeye Handicap at Randall Park. Rotz was aboard, and said Carry Back was ready to race but too anxious in the starting gate, losing to Gushing Wind, winner of the 1962 Ohio Derby and Buckeye Handicap.

Carry Back won his last race, the Trenton Handicap at Garden State Park in 1963, before returning to stud in Kentucky. He boosted his career earnings to $1,241,164, fourth on the all-time list at the time. He would soon stand at Price's Florida farm, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.

The gallant stallion was a favorite, even in retirement. Fans would send Carry Back cards and flowers on his April birthday every year until he died at 25 in 1983.

Price had attended every Kentucky Derby after Carry Back's win until illness forced him to miss the 1995 event. Price died shortly after of congestive heart failure at age 87.

Cleveland horse racing legends, Price and Carry Back are still fondly remembered, a half-century later.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: degan@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

With a fortunate bounce and a flawless goalie, the Vancouver Canucks are heading back to Boston with the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time.

Cinesport video: Vancouver 1, Boston 0

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

Vancouver, British Columbia — With a fortunate bounce and a flawless goalie, the Vancouver Canucks are heading back to Boston with the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time.

View full sizeIan Lindsay | Postmedia News | MCTVancouver Canucks pour off the bench to celebrate a 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup final at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

Maxim Lapierre scored on a carom off the back boards with 15:25 to play, Roberto Luongo stopped 31 shots in a stirring shutout after getting pulled from his previous game, and the Canucks moved to the brink of their first NHL championship with a 1-0 victory over Boston in Game 5 on Friday night, taking a 3-2 series lead.

Luongo posted his fourth shutout of the playoffs and second of the Stanley Cup Finals after giving up 12 goals in less than four periods during two blowout losses in Boston.

Game 6 is Monday night in Boston, and the Stanley Cup will be there.

The Canucks have scored just six goals in five Stanley Cup Finals games against brilliant Boston goalie Tim Thomas, yet they’re one victory away from winning it all.

Neither team found an offensive flow in a Game 5 nail-biter, but Luongo kept Vancouver in it until Lapierre and defenseman Kevin Bieksa teamed up on a goal that set off a crazy celebration among tens of thousands of fans thronging downtown Vancouver.

Luongo was pulled from Game 4, but coach Alain Vigneault stuck with him for Game 5. The Olympic champion was only occasionally spectacular, but he still narrowly outplayed Thomas, who has received just two goals of support from his teammates in three games in Vancouver.

Thomas made 24 saves in Game 5, but lost his shutout streak of 110 minutes, 42 seconds dating to Game 3. With injured forward Nathan Horton’s jersey hanging in the visitors locker room, the Bruins’ power play regressed to its previous postseason struggles, going 0-for-4.

After two scoreless periods of stellar goaltending in which Boston went scoreless on four power plays, the Canucks finally connected with a supremely heady play by the veteran Bieksa, who used Thomas’ aggressive style against him.

Cinesport video: Vancouver-Boston postgame

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

Mitch Talbot tries to end the Indians' skid as he faces former Tribe ace Bartolo Colon.

View full sizeAssociated PressMitch Talbot starts for the Indians today in New York.

(AP) -- A matchup with the sputtering Cleveland Indians might be just what the New York Yankees need to get their homestand back on track.

The Yankees will try to add to their recent dominance of the Indians with help from resurgent veterans Jorge Posada and Bartolo Colon on Saturday.

New York opened its 10-game stay at Yankee Stadium by getting outscored 25-13 in three consecutive defeats to rival Boston, the team it's chasing in the AL East.

The Yankees (34-27) totaled 24 hits during the series but weren't far from matching that in Friday's 11-7 win over Cleveland. Five players combined for 12 of the team's 15 hits with Posada and Robinson Cano contributing three apiece.

Mark Teixeira also drove in three runs to send the AL Central-leading Indians (34-27) to their 12th defeat in 16 games. The Yankees first baseman, who has eight RBIs this week, was also hit by a pitch for the second time in four games, causing benches to clear and the teams' managers to get into a face-to-face screaming match.

"Sometimes it doesn't really matter if it's on purpose," said third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who homered for the third time in six games. "There's no question, it was very important for us to bounce back and play our type of baseball.

"Forget who we're playing, you can't have teams be so comfortable against us. I thought tonight was a good way to answer back and answer the call because the last three games at home (were) very embarrassing for us."

The win was also New York's 11th in 14 games against Cleveland, which holds a scant one-game lead over Detroit in its division.

Colon, a former Indians starter, will try to deliver another victory by adding to his streak of solid outings.

The right-hander has a 1.88 ERA in consecutive victories after going winless in his previous five starts. He followed up on a four-hit shutout by giving up three runs over 5 1-3 innings to Los Angeles during a 5-3 victory Sunday.

Colon (4-3, 3.39 ERA) is 4-3 with a 4.00 ERA in eight career starts against the Indians and has not faced them since June 7, 2009.

He'll try to get help from Posada, who is hitting .625 (10 of 16) in his last four games after batting .169 in his first 44.

"Just waiting for the ball longer and hitting it to all fields," he said. "Really seeing it better."

Posada is hitting .303 with two homers in his last nine games against Cleveland but has never faced Mitch Talbot (2-2, 4.18).

The Indians right-hander has alternated wins and losses in his last four starts, including his three since returning from a strained pitching elbow. He gave up two runs over six innings Sunday but got zero runs of support for the second time in three outings during a 2-0 defeat to Texas.

"Mitch did a fantastic job," manager Manny Acta said. "He gave us everything we needed."

Talbot is 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees but had his previous matchup on July 29, 2010, cut short by a back injury.

Derek Jeter, nine hits shy of 3,000, is 2 for 4 in his career against Talbot, while Brett Gardner is 3 for 3.

Orlando Cabrera, seeking his 2,000th career hit, is 3 for 8 versus Colon, who hasn't won three consecutive starts since the 2008 season.

The Indians have been outscored 100-51 over their last 16 games.

Fausto Carmona said he was ready for anything after hitting New York's Mark Teixeira on Friday night.

NEW YORK, New York -- It would have been easier if Fausto Carmona simply answered the media's questions after Friday night's loss to the Yankees. He told Jeff Sibel, Indians manager of media relations, that he was too emotional to do so and wanted to wait until Saturday morning.

With coaching assistant Francisco Morales interpreting, Carmona met with reporters Saturday and said he didn't intentionally hit Mark Teixeira in the second inning after giving up a homer to Curtis Granderson in the Indians 11-7 loss on Friday.

Teixeira, Yankee manager Joe Girardi and the rest of the Yankees thought he did. Both teams came onto the field with Girardi and Teixeira yelling at Carmona and Carmona challenging Teixeira to come to the mound if he was that upset.

At one point manager Manny Acta and Girardi were yelling at each other.

"It's part of the game," said Carmona. "I know it didn't look good after the home run, but it's part of the game. That's not the last time Teixeira is going to get hit by a pitch and that's not the lat time I'm going to miss a pitch."

Teixeira told reporters after the game that he was yelling at Carmona, "For three years you've been pitching me down and away. Now you come up an in on me?"

Said Carmona, "Teixeira says I was throwing him away, so I tried to change the plan. As much as Teixeira knows me, I know him, too."

Carmona said he was not surprised at the reactions of Teixeira and Girardi.

"I was ready for anything," he said. "I just threw a pitch and hit him."

Carmona answered a couple of questions about why he didn't talk to reporters Friday and then ended the interview by saying, "I've got to go work."

He allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings. He walked three and struck out two in 93 pitches. Carmona is 3-8 with a 5.71 ERA.

Dazed: Travis Buck was in the locker room Saturday morning, but it was doubtful that he would play against the Yankees. On Friday afternoon, Buck and his wife, Summar, were passengers in a New York city cab that hit another vehicle.

Buck and his wife were examined at a hospital and released, but Buck said he still had a headache and was suffering from whiplash. Summar Buck hit her head on the glass partition separating the back and front seat of the cab and was at the team hotel.

"She got it worse than me, but has been taking care of me," said Buck.

Buck said the cab was going about 40 mph when it "T-boned a van that was making a turn in front of it."

The Bucks said they got out of the Cab and walked back to the team hotel in Manhattan.

"The driver kept saying, "You pay now, you pay now,'" said Buck. "It was about a $5 cab ride."

Today's lineups:

Indians (34-27): LF Michael Brantley (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), CF Grady Sizemore, 1B Carlos Santana (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), DH Matt LaPorta (R), 2B Cord Phelps (S),  3B Jack Hannahan (L), C Lou Marson, RHP Mitch Talbot (2-2, 4.18).

Yankees (34-27): SS Derek Jeter (R), CF Curtis Grandson (L), 1B Mark Teixeira (R), 3B Alex Rodriguez (R), 2B Robinson Cano (L), RF Nick Swisher (S), DH Jorge Posada (S), LF Brett Gardner (L), C Francisco Cervelli (R) and RHP Bartolo Colon (4-3, 3.39).

Him vs. me: Curtis Granderson is hitting .400 (2-for-5) with a homer against Talbot. Orlando Cabrera is 3-for-8 against Colon. Choo has a homer against him.

Umpires: H Dan Iassogna, 2B Bucknor, 3B Muchlinski, 3B Dale Scott. Scott, crew chief.

Next: RHP Josh Tomlin (7-3, 3.71) faces New York's Freddy Garcia (4-5, 3.86) on Sunday at 1:08 p.m. Channel 3/STO will carry the game on TV. WTAM/1100 will broadcast the game on radio.

If lockout lasts long enough to keep teams from holding traditional training camps, the 15 sites that host teams away from their own facilities will take financial hits.

Associated PressSome New York Giants, including quarterback Eli Manning (right), during an informal workout on Friday at a high school in Oradell, New Jersey.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota -- Jake's Stadium Pizza has been a fast-food fixture on the Minnesota State University campus for nearly four decades. This summer, they're cooking that thin crust with crossed fingers in Mankato, Minn.

The NFL lockout, now headed toward its fourth month, is threatening a revenue-driving, profile-raising event for this small, family-owned business: Vikings training camp.

"We're hoping they get it done, because it's not just us. It's the whole state that will suffer," said Wally Boyer, the owner of the joint where players from Jim Marshall to John Randle have recuperated after many a draining workout. Fans, too, have long made that familiar walk down Stadium Road after watching practice to fill up and cool off.

If the work stoppage lingers long enough to keep teams holding traditional training camps, the hit would be felt far beyond Minnesota, and it wouldn't just be about losing money.

In upstate New York, the Jets have trained on the SUNY Cortland campus the last two years.

"Just their presence alone has stimulated people. It's just good for the mental health of the community," said Cortland State football coach Dan MacNeill. "For our people, it's been fun. It has impacted the football program. We don't have normal use of our facilities. But an NFL franchise, no matter where you go, there's a heck of a following."

Seventeen of the 32 NFL teams last year held training camp at their year-round facilities, reflecting a trend toward cost-and-time efficiency in an era in which chemistry is built and conditioning established well before the two-a-day grind in August.

But the other 15 teams still take their show on the road, many of them to slower-paced cities and small colleges where their presence is a big deal — and a big financial boon.

Some people make a summer vacation out of watching their favorite team run drills and scrimmages. Day-trippers at least stop for a bite to eat on the way out of town.

The Cardinals have held camp at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff since 1988, and the school's Rural Policy Institute estimated it brought $7 million to the local economy last year, with an overall impact of $10 million. There were over 38,000 visitors, 81 percent of those from out of town, along with 122 jobs created by the camp.

In southern Minnesota, a 90-minute drive from the Twin Cities, Vikings training camp makes a $5 million impact on the region, said Anna Thill, president of the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitors Bureau. Last year, it drew 60,000 visitors from at least 30 states, and a few foreign countries.

The university charges $7 for parking near the practice fields, but that's only part of the story. The school also receives tremendous exposure.

"They do bring people here, and young people are introduced to the campus. There's certainly a marketing value to the Vikings being here that is difficult to determine," said Michael Cooper, the university's media relations director.

Whether it's Westminster, Md., Anderson, Ind., or Spartanburg, S.C., the reflected glamour of having an NFL team in town for a few weeks can go a long way.

"You can't put a price on it, to be honest. Newspaper articles go out every day that have Georgetown, Ky., as the dateline. It puts the community on the map," said John Simpson, executive director of the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission. The Bengals train at Georgetown College, about 100 miles south of Cincinnati.

The Vikings' presence was enough to get Jake's Stadium Pizza a mention in Sports Illustrated once. Boyer said his business spikes about 20 percent during camp.

"It's a lot of frosting on the cake," he said.

Even some of the teams that don't train off site, like the Washington Redskins, make a mark on local economies. Visit Loudoun president Patrick Kaler said his group estimates a $600,000 impact to the Virginia county during camp alone.

"It brings in a lot of people who just drive in. They're staying in the hotels, they're going to restaurants, doing other things while they're here, so it's a big deal for us. That helps put us on the map," Kaler said. "How many people know where Loudoun County, Virginia, is?"

Start dates are staggered by team, but generally training camps begin the last week of July — seven weeks or so from now. There is plenty of time for NFL owners and players to reach an agreement by then, but teams and their hosts need some lead time to make arrangements.

For the Jets, early July is essentially the deadline for a new collective bargaining agreement in order to commit to Cortland for 2011. Team spokesman Bruce Speight said that's "an internal point of reference. There is some leeway, and it is subject to developments."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league "has set no such date" for an agreement to ensure the opening of normal training camps.

So, at SUNY Cortland and several points west and south, they wait.

"Everybody is anxious," MacNeill said.

According to a report from the university, Jets camp drew 41,000 visitors last year, from 32 states and four Canadian provinces. Though nearly 90 percent were from New York, 59 of the 62 counties were represented. The overall economic effect of camp has been pegged at $5.8 million, and spectators at last summer's camp accounted for 82 percent of that spending.

"We think it will be even bigger this year if they can get the collective bargaining agreement done," SUNY Cortland president Erik Bitterbaum said. "From an economic perspective, it's an economic engine, and from a morale standpoint it lifts the community. People spruce up their neighborhoods. It really was a point of pride."

Doug's Fish Fry is a half-mile down the road from the practice field, and it's become a destination for fans. Owner Mark Braun has the place spruced up just as one would expect from a Jets season ticket-holder the past 15 years.

There are Jets photos and autographs at every turn. Welcome banners are nailed to all corners above the main dining area, and a "Hard Knocks" T-shirt in honor of the popular HBO documentary series hangs between two burnt-orange neon fish signs.

"I'm just nervous if we miss a year they might not remember us as easily," Braun said. "I'll miss it as a business owner, but more as a fan."

Then there is Green Bay, Wis., home of the defending Super Bowl champions, where fans would miss preseason football as much as anyone. The Packers train at their team headquarters, but an estimate by AECOM Technical Services put the impact of their 2009 camp at $7.4 million, based on 34,000 attendees.

More than 80 percent of them come from outside of Brown County, and they stay an average of close to two days, giving a lift to local restaurants and hotels.

"It's going to be a fairly significant hit in terms of impact, because we have a number of people where that is their vacation," said Fred Monique, the president of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

"The Packers organization and the city of Green Bay did not get a chance to celebrate like it should. They won the championship, then they went straight to the lockout."

Miami egomaniacs -- one of whom has played a brilliant series while the other has disappeared in the clutch -- apparently made fun of fever-ridden Nowitzki, who has been Mr. Clutch.

Associated PressMiami's LeBron James (6) and Dwyane Wade (3) leave the court after the Heat lost to the Mavericks, 86-83, in Game 4. Dirk Nowitzki helped Dallas to the win despite being sick, which apparently prompted James and Wade to mock him two days later.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- National sentiment seems to be on the side of the Dallas Mavericks as they play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Dallas leads Miami, three games to two, in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 and, if necessary, the seventh game will be played in Miami on Sunday and Tuesday nights, respectively.

Dirk Nowitzki leads a cast of several Mavericks who have flourished in close, late-game situations.

The Mavs come off as a friendly, more humble group of guys than the Heat, who are led by Dwyane Wade and self-proclaimed international icon LeBron James.

Wade and James apparently mocked Nowitzki on Thursday, two days after the Dallas star overcame obvious sickness to help the Mavs to an 86-83 comeback win in Game 4.

Tim MacMahon writes for ESPNDallas.com about what Nowitzki has to say about Wade and James' antics.

Such silliness from Wade and, especially, James, would be juvenile under any circumstances, but especially so with how the Finals have thus far played out. 

During the series, when Dallas and Miami have been within five points of each other on the scoreboard with less than five minutes to go, Nowitzki has been spectacular; Wade has been solid; James has been pathetic.

In those situations, Nowitzki has scored 26 points, making 8 of 13 field goal attempts and all nine of his free throws.

Wade has put up 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 at the line.

James HAS NOT SCORED in those clutch moments with the game on the line, as explained on ESPN.com. He has missed all seven of his field goal tries and has not been to the foul line. Plus, he has been taken advantage of on defense.

MacMahon writes: 

Dirk Nowitzki didn't find anything funny about the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade and LeBron James coughing and cracking jokes about being sick in front of cameras, calling it "childish."

Wade and James didn't mention Nowitzki's name, but it appeared they were mocking the Dallas Mavericks superstar while walking out of the American Airlines Center following Thursday's shootaround, before Game 5 of the NBA Finals. That's certainly how Nowitzki, who battled a sinus infection that caused a 101-degree fever during Dallas' Game 4 win, perceived the incident when he watched the video.

"I just thought it was a little childish, a little ignorant," Nowitzki said before Saturday's practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. "I've been in this league for 13 years. I've never faked an injury or illness."

Wade, who referred to Nowitzki's sinus infection Thursday as "the fun-loving story of him being sick," claimed Saturday that he didn't pretend to cough.

Bartolo Colon throws 6 2/3 scoreless innings at the Tribe before leaving in the seventh with injury.

View full sizePaul Bereswill / Associated PressIndians pitcher Mitch Talbot loses the argument -- and eventually, the game -- after home-plate umpire Dan Iassogna ejected Talbot for hitting Alex Rodriguez with a pitch in the sixth inning Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Two innings earlier, Rodriguez had homered off Talbot.

NEW YORK -- The Indians were shut out for the fifth time in the last 14 games Saturday in a 4-0 loss to New York at Yankee Stadium. They have been shut out seven times overall.

Manny Acta's ballclub has lost three straight and eight of their last 10 overall. After going 18-8 in April and 14-12 in May, the Indians are 2-8 in June.

It looked like another routine loss for the Indians on a cold, wet day in the Bronx when starter Mitch Talbot was ejected for hitting Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez in the left leg with two out in the sixth inning. Plate umpire Dan Iassogna waved Talbot off the field immediately after Rodriguez hit the deck.

Talbot argued that he slipped on the mound, but after Friday night's problems the umpires weren't taking any chances.

Fausto Carmona hit Mark Teixeira in the second inning Friday, touching off a bench-clearing incident.

With the wind blowing in from the outfield, most fly balls had no chance of going anywhere. The Yankees, however, haven't hit the most homers in the big leagues by accident.

Rodriguez gave them a 1-0 lead with a two-out homer into the gale in left with in the fourth. Curtis Granderson made it 2-0 when he pulled a Talbot pitch down the right-field line into the second deck in the sixth.

After Teixeira flied out to right, Talbot was gone after hitting Rodriguez with an 87 mph fastball. Rodriguez, acting as if he were shot, stayed down several minutes.

Bartolo Colon held the Indians scoreless through 6 2/3 innings. He was forced out of the game in the seventh when he strained his left hamstring covering first base on Shin-Soo Choo's grounder.

Colon (5-3) allowed two hits and struck out six. 

Talbot (2-3) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

The Yankees made it 3-0 in the seventh when Nick Swisher scored from first on Jorge Posada's single into the right field corner and Shin-Soo Choo's error. It was Choo's fourth error.

The Indians' best chance to score came in the eighth when Jack Hannahan and Lou Marson opened with singled off David Robertson. However, Robertson struck out Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore in succession. Brantley, Cabrera and Sizemore took the same third-strike fastball on the outside part of the plate.

The Yankees' final run came on Teixeira's eighth-inning homer off Vinnie Pestano.

The basketball world is finally questioning LeBron James' competitiveness. Clevelanders wonder, what took them so long?

View full sizeDavid J. Phillip / Associated PressLeBron James has only two chances to prevent a reputation that was created in Cleveland from becoming his lasting reputation following these NBA Finals, says Bill Livingston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Coddled One already is "spoiling" his new fans in South Beach.

"Three bad games in seven years" was the count to which LeBron James, in a remarkable moment of self-absorption and denial, admitted in his "I spoil people" comment after he quit on the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the 2010 Boston series. Closely on its heels came the admission, "I feel bad for myself."

His self-pity must be living really large these days.

In the NBA Finals, his more talented Miami team now trails tougher and more tenacious Dallas, 3-2. James has had one entire pouty game, the fourth, in which he scored eight points. He has had a whole series of shortfalls in the clutch.

Game 4 probably stemmed from his resentment that Dwyane Wade is now the alpha force, the "closer" in tight games. James is a beta who is heading -- since even Chris Bosh has made a bigger shot, winning Game 3 with a contested jumper -- toward the lesser-known Greek letters in Miami's little fraternity of front-runners. By childishly leaving it up to the alpha player to win the game on his own, James, who went to a stacked Miami team because he thought winning a championship would be easy there, made everyone's task much harder.

But it also might have come from no deeper impulse than James' anger that Wade shouted at him in Game 3 and told him, enough with dumping the ball off to role players like Mario Chalmers; attack the rim already. No one speaks sharply to the self-styled King. His petulance and pettiness are defense mechanisms when threatened with failure.

Surely you remember former Cavs coach Mike Brown repeatedly expressing his gratitude to James "for letting me coach him," until finally Brown couldn't anymore. The ultimate rejection came when James waved Brown back to the bench and refused to extend the last game of his Cavs' career by forcing the Celtics to make free throws in the last minute of Game 6 in 2010. The sooner the exit, the less the pressure to stay and the quicker he could leave for the land of stone crabs and teammates who could carry him.

These moments should be brought up, again and again, because they were tantamount to throwing the series. The national media who want to "move on" are trying to erase the memory of as contemptible a competitive effort as I have seen in 38 years of covering the NBA. It won't wash. The ineradicable stain remains. And it is growing in these Finals.

If the word "quit" sticks in the throats of James' many apologists, there are yet a few of them who are finally questioning his heart. I have known of whispers from NBA players to that effect ever since James' passive sixth game in another season-ender in Orlando in 2009.

In the Finals, James has been no factor in the fourth quarter of the five games. Even given his reduced role as a scorer, the disparity of his 11 total points in the fourth quarter, compared to the 52 of Dallas' top gun, Dirk Nowitzki, is simply stunning.

James also never appears in the post-game interview room without Wade alongside him. The Mavericks' grizzled veteran stars, Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, face the post-game inquisition alone, as if to show they need no emotional buttress.

Having Wade there is probably a prudent measure by the Heat. James' psychological fragility can pop up at any time, such as when he ripped his Cavs teammates for "dying down in the moment."

Another big moment arrives Sunday night in Game 6. James has more help than ever before, and he will face more of the scrutiny he invites than ever before. A season dies if the Heat players don't seize the moment. A championship fades away that was prematurely celebrated from the first day, when James, Bosh and Wade came capering through the fog machine's smoke at their introductory appearance in Miami.

Perhaps James will snap out of it. Everyone knows he is good enough to. Perhaps the Heat have only temporarily lost their way.

But in Cleveland, we have seen much of this before.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

At the zenith of his career at Ohio State, Jim Tressel entered the discussion as a potential coach of the Browns.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerOn Sept. 19, 2009, Jim Tressel led the Buckeyes onto the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium for a game against Toledo. Three years earlier, the Browns had taken the initial steps to explore whether Tressel could be a head coach of the NFL team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At the zenith of his career at Ohio State, Jim Tressel entered the discussion as a potential coach of the Browns.

It never got past the exploration stage. But in an indirect way, discussion about Tressel led to the present configuration of the Browns' organization.

"There was talk about him," confirmed a source involved in the Browns' inner circle at the time.

A source close to Tressel said the Browns explored his interest through a third party, but Tressel "just wasn't ready" to try the NFL. Even though Tressel once said the Browns would be the only job that might lure him away from Ohio State, the prospect "never intrigued him," said the source.

The timeframe was late in 2006. Tressel had one national championship at OSU under his belt and was pursuing another. The Browns were imbedded in a second consecutive season of 10 or more losses under first-time head coach Romeo Crennel.

The Browns were not sure how long they could stay with Crennel. GM Phil Savage, who had won a power struggle with President John Collins the year before, was assembling a list of potential coach candidates. This was a natural task for a GM, even though firing Crennel was not on the front burner at the time.

Savage was linked personally and professionally to Kirk Ferentz of Iowa. Another name discussed was Florida's Urban Meyer, who was on a collision course with Ohio State in the national championship game that season.

"There was a lot of talk about Kirk Ferentz," said the Browns' source. "And [the reaction was], 'Well, what's he done?' Urban Meyer, too. Then some people said, 'Wouldn't Tressel be great?'"

According to one of the sources, Jim Brown, then an executive adviser to owner Randy Lerner, contacted somebody on Tressel's side to gauge his interest. When it came back lukewarm, the Browns re-appraised the situation.

"Tressel had the sex appeal of everybody in Ohio liking him," said one source. "But when he goes 4-12, he won't be that exciting anymore. I don't know if Jim [Brown], in fact, reached out, but I do know those were the three (names) in discussion."

Keep in mind that these discussions were taking place two years after the Butch Davis era ended in flames. Davis was at the zenith of his career at University of Miami in 2001 when the Browns scored what was hailed as a coup in signing him to be their second coach, the successor to Chris Palmer. Unlike Tressel, at least Davis had previous experience as an NFL assistant coach under Jimmy Johnson.

Lerner now was searching for the formula to save his organization from sinking further.

The Browns' source said: "The other side of it was, 'We can't hire another college coach. I don't care what you do, you've got to hire somebody with experience. You've done the rookie head coach [Crennel]. None of these college coaches are making it. You've got to hire somebody with experience, Randy, or you're going to get killed. The odds are [college route] is not going to work.'"

Nick Saban was in his second season with the Miami Dolphins. The going was rough enough for Saban to retreat back to the college ranks at Alabama after season's end.

With the college coaches eliminated, the Browns decided to give Crennel another year. Savage hired Rob Chudzinski to re-invent the offense. Chudzinski parlayed Derek Anderson's arm and the playmaking of Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow II into a 10-6 season. The surprise season earned lucrative contract extensions for Savage, Crennel, Chudzinski and Anderson.

But when the team faltered again to 12 losses in 2008, Lerner went back to square one. He fired Savage and Crennel. One of the first men he talked to about rebuilding the organization was Mike Holmgren.

Holmgren responded by saying he intended to take a year off. Importantly, though, the lines of communication with the Browns were opened. Bill Cowher gave a similar response.

Strapped for a credible replacement, Lerner heeded the advice that he needed to hire a coach with NFL experience. When the Jets fired Eric Mangini, Lerner hired him almost on the spot of their day-long interview.

Mangini's honeymoon lasted one season, of course. By then, Holmgren was itching to return to the NFL and Lerner's invitation to rebuild the organization as president with "total authority" was too much for Holmgren to resist. Holmgren fired Mangini after one year together and replaced him with Pat Shurmur. And that's where we are today.

If Tressel had expressed an interest in the Browns' courtship, would he have gotten the job? We will never know.

The trio, counted on to produce runs, has combined for just one RBI per every 8.38 at bats this season.

Associated PressShin-Soo Choo strikes out during the ninth inning of the Indians' 4-0 loss to the Yankees on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians have lost 13 of their last 17 games -- including today's 4-0 loss to the Yankees in New York -- making their record 34-28 after a 30-15 start.

Indians pitchers have struggled during the slide, giving up 6.1 runs per game.

When they've pitched somewhat effectively, they've had little margin of error.

Cleveland has scored three runs per game in the 17-game stretch, hitting .227.

In the 13 losses, the Indians have totaled 24 runs, or 1.8 per game, and have hit .199. The Tribe has been shut out five times, scored one run in one game and two runs in four other games.

Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, center fielder Grady Sizemore and catcher Carlos Santana must be consistent run-producers for Indians' pitchers to not feel they need be perfect.

If even two of the three would produce....

It may be somewhat unfair to expect Sizemore to carry a load, as he's coming back from micro-fracture (left) knee surgery. And, maybe too much was put on Santana too soon, given that his big league experience was essentially one-third of a season going into 2011.

Hitters go through slumps, and Choo, Sizemore and Santana still have time to put together solid seasons. It's mid-June, though, so the Indians need at least a couple of them to bust loose soon.

Sizemore, Santana and Choo hit in the third, fourth and fifth spots in the batting order on Saturday, going hitless in 11 combined at bats.

Breaking down what Choo, Sizemore and Santana have done at the plate:

Shin-Soo Choo

After three impressive seasons, Choo is hitting .232 in 2011.

Sometimes, a relatively low batting average doesn't reflect a hitter's positive impact on a lineup. Not so with Choo this spring. He has just eight doubles, one triple and five home runs.

His 23 RBI in 228 at bats -- one per every 9.9 at bats -- is what a banjo-hitting ninth hitter or slap-hitting leadoff batter might post.

Choo has struck out 59 times and has 23 walks.

Choo reached his peak 2011 batting average of .250 on May 30. Since then, the left-handed hitter is 6-of-40 (.150) with one double, one run, one RBI and two walks in 10 games.

In his last 16 games, Choo has one RBI in 60 at bats. That RBI wasn't even an official at bat: he drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning of Friday night's 11-7 loss to the Yankees, cutting the New York lead to 11-5.

Grady Sizemore

The first results of Sizemore's return from surgery defied logic. In his first 11 games, from April 17 through April 29, he hit .378 with four homers and eight doubles in 45 at bats.

Since then, Sizemore is hitting .181 (15-of-83) with six doubles, three homers, eight RBI, 29 strikeouts and four walks.

It was unreasonable, of course, to expect Sizemore to maintain anything resembling his roaring start.

After his first 45 ABs, Sizemore went 5-of-33 (.152) with two doubles and two homers in eight games to begin May. He then missed 13 games with a bruised right knee. Since coming back from that injury, Sizemore is 10-of-50 (.200) with four doubles, one homer, 20 strikeouts and four walks.

Overall this season, Sizemore is hitting .250 in 128 at bats. His extra-base production remains impressive, with 14 doubles and seven homers, though much of that was accomplished during his early surge. Sizemore has 39 strikeouts to just seven walks.

The left-handed hitter had standout seasons for the Indians from 2005-08, making the American League all-star team from 2006-08. Besides his other numbers, Sizemore averaged 29 stolen bases in the four years from 2005-08. This season -- with the knee issues -- he has not yet stolen a base, trying just once.

In 2009, 2010 and this season, Sizemore has totaled just 692 at bats because of his injuries. He has hit .241 during the span with 166 strikeouts -- the whiffs being no surprise because even at his best, Sizemore struck out at a high rate.

Carlos Santana

The switch-hitting Santana has a .228 batting average with 12 doubles, seven homers and 26 RBI in 197 at bats. To his credit, he is among the league leaders with 43 walks, partially offsetting the low average.

Santana made his major league debut last June 11 and stormed out of the blocks, hitting .345 (20-of-58) with nine doubles, four homers and 13 walks in his first 18 games with the Indians.

Santana then cooled off, going 19-of-92 (.207) with four doubles, two homers and, impressively, 24 more walks before his season ended on Aug. 2, when he was catching and suffered a left knee injury on a home plate collision. He had surgery four days later.

Since Santana's first 18 major league games, he is hitting .221 in 289 at bats, with 16 doubles, nine homers and 67 walks.

Trio's 2011 totals

Choo, Sizemore and Santana are hitting a combined .235 this season, totaling 130 hits in 553 official at bats.

They have combined for 34 doubles, one triple and 19 home runs. They have 66 RBI. The one RBI per every 8.38 at bats is unacceptably low for hitters who now usually bat in the middle of the order.

The trio has combined for 75 runs scored, 73 walks and 138 strikeouts. Their combined slugging percentage is .403 and their on-base percentage is .330.

There might be such as thing as too much information when it comes to scouting college players -- but NBA executives probably disagree.

View full sizeAPDerrick Williams' breakout sophomore season with Arizona pushed him to the top of many draft boards and prompted plenty of statistical analysis from the Synergy team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Garrick Barr admits there might be such as thing as too much information when it comes to scouting college players -- although most NBA executives probably disagree.

"It's ridiculous what we can tell you," said Garrick, designer of the scouting software called Synergy that is used by 29 of 30 NBA teams, including the Cavs, along with European teams and men's and women's college teams. "You can pick any college player out there and we can tell you who the best in the country is on the left-side isolation, driving baseline, pulling up for a jump shot, making the basket and getting fouled.

"Now who cares?

"But we can provide you a list with thousands of names and this guy ranks 492. It's just crazy what we can do. That's the result of logging all the information and collecting the data."

That kind of data -- a version of which is available to fans for free at mysynergysports.com through the NBA Finals -- is just one part of what teams evaluate when looking at potential draft choices. In some ways, it's the easiest piece because it is quantifiable. There are numbers and rankings, whereas qualities like character and leadership are much more difficult to assess.

"The data is a piece of the puzzle, but it can be very significant in guiding the post-season evaluation process," said David Griffin, the Cavaliers' vice president of basketball operations who oversees the team's scouting and player personnel areas, including the draft. "If a player has a charted strength or deficiency that flies in the face of what you have seen, you obviously re-assess and the process evolves from there. It may result in additional film work, more conversation with coaches, teammates. In that sense, it's no different than any other portion of the process.

"Everything adds color to the painting."

Griffin and Barr worked together in Phoenix with an advance scout named Todd Quinter. Barr came up with the idea for Synergy, left the Suns to develop it and hired Quinter to work for him. Now 59 and living in Seattle, Barr is as surprised as anyone at the direction his career took. He played with Paul Westphal at now-closed Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, Calif. Westphal finished as the No. 1 scorer in the history of the school, while Barr, a year younger, finished as No. 2.

Barr went to Cal-Irvine on a basketball scholarship and earned a degree in philosophy. He and Westphal coached together at Grand Canyon College, where they won the NAIA title. When Westphal left to coach the Phoenix Suns, he hired Barr as assistant coach and video coordinator. But Barr ended up specializing in technology and analytics, and Synergy evolved out of conversations Barr had with Griffin.

"We brainstormed a lot of ideas through the years," Barr said of Griffin. "He was a great sounding board for me."

Initially, the software was used by NBA advance scouts as an aid in preparing game plans. Griffin used it to create Excel spreadsheets and distributed playbooks to the Suns during the playoffs. But Barr recognized there also would be a market for player personnel departments seeking information for trades or draft choices.

Now he employs about 150 loggers to break down video and create the edits that are available 30-40 minutes after every game. He estimates that Synergy logged about 10,000 games last season, maybe 200 or more on a typical Saturday.

All the work is done from video, at a cost of "less than six figures" for NBA teams. Barr makes it clear the service is not designed to replace advance scouts.

"There's always going to be a place for advance scouting," he said. "You want to pick up the play calls and you want to be at the game to hear what the coach is yelling and to watch his hands. That'll continue to happen, but this will help them do their jobs. It's really valuable to the coach as he formulates his game plan."

Or his draft board.