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May 30, 2009 - 5:49 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

New York (27-20) at Cleveland (21-28), 7:05 p.m. EDT

CC Sabathia spent seven-plus seasons at the front of the Cleveland Indians' rotation, compiling more than 100 wins and winning the franchise's first Cy Young Award in 35 years.

Playing in Cleveland, however, probably won't feel quite the same Saturday night when Sabathia takes the mound as a visitor for the first time.

Sabathia, in the first season of a seven-year, $161 million dollar contract with the New York Yankees, returns to Progressive Field to face his former team as the first-place Yankees and last-place Indians continue a four-game series.

Sabathia (4-3, 3.42 ERA) went 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA with Cleveland from 2001-08, including 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA during his Cy Young campaign in 2007.

Despite his success, Sabathia and the Indians couldn't agree on a contract extension in spring training of 2008, and the club opted to trade him at the deadline instead of risk losing him without compensation.

The 6-foot-7, 290-pound left-hander finished the 2008 season with Milwaukee before signing his deal with the Yankees - a record dollar figure for a pitcher.

Sabathia had a few rough outings early this year, but he's 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA over his last four starts. He had a three-start winning streak snapped Sunday, when he gave up three runs in eight innings as New York (28-20) fell 4-3 in 11 innings against Philadelphia.

Sabathia faced the Indians (21-29) for the first time in his career April 16 in the inaugural game at the new Yankee Stadium. He held Cleveland to one run, but the New York bullpen turned the pitchers' duel into a 10-2 Indians victory.

Knowing Sabathia as they do, the Indians were patient at the plate. Sabathia, who walked five, needed a season-high 122 pitches to get through 5 2-3 innings.

"You don't want to get CC late in the game," Indians first baseman Victor Martinez told the team's official Web site. "We wanted to get him out early, so I think we did a really good job of that."

The Indians earned a split of that four-game series in New York, but the Yankees are playing much better of late. They've won 13 of 16, including a 3-1 victory in Friday night's series opener. With that win, New York took sole possession of the AL East lead for the first time since the final day of the 2006 season.

"It's better than not being in first place," manager Joe Girardi said.

Indians manager Eric Wedge would certainly take it considering his club is stuck in last place in the AL Central. Cleveland left 11 men on base and went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position while having its season-high four-game winning streak snapped Friday.

"I thought we were poor offensively," Wedge said. "We had the bases loaded twice and scored one run. We chased a lot of bad pitches. We were a little anxious out there."

Fausto Carmona (2-4, 6.42) will start for Cleveland. The right-hander was tagged for five runs while walking five in 1 1-3 innings against Tampa Bay on Monday. The Indians, though, battled back for an 11-10 victory.

Carmona is 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in seven games - four starts - against the Yankees. New York first baseman Mark Teixeira, batting .409 with eight homers and 23 RBIs during the team's 13-3 run, is 4 for 11 (.364) with a home run and two walks against him.

Carmona will have a new Yankees weapon to deal with Saturday after Jorge Posada returned from the disabled list for the series opener. The All-Star catcher had two hits after missing 22 games with a strained right hamstring.