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Yankees-Indians Preview

May 31, 2009 - 5:39 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

New York (29-20) at Cleveland (21-30), 12:40 p.m. EDT

Two months into the 2009 season, the mammoth contract the New York Yankees gave to CC Sabathia already appears to be paying greater dividends than the deal they gave Carl Pavano four years ago.

While Pavano was a bust with the Yankees, he seems to be plenty comfortable in the Cleveland Indians' starting rotation.

Pavano, who has recorded as many victories in May as he won the past three seasons combined for New York, looks to build off one of his best outings in years when he takes the mound Sunday against the surging Yankees.

In New York's 10-5 victory over the Indians on Saturday, Sabathia didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning to win in his return to Cleveland (21-30).

The 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner, who went 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA for the Indians from 2001-08, gave up three runs in seven innings to help the Yankees (29-20) open a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East with their 14th victory in 17 games.

Sabathia, who signed a $161 million, seven-year contract with New York in December, won his fifth game Saturday - the same number Pavano (5-4, 5.50 ERA) accumulated in his last three seasons.

Pavano signed a four-year, $40 million contract with New York in 2005 and proceeded to spend much of his time with the Yankees on the disabled list. In 26 starts over the four seasons, the right-hander was 9-8 with a 5.00 ERA.

He signed a one-year, free-agent contract with Cleveland in January and after going 0-3 with a 9.50 ERA in four April starts, Pavano is 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA in six outings this month.

On Tuesday, the 10-year veteran allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts in seven innings of a 5-1 victory over Tampa Bay.

"I'm feeling better, getting deeper in games," Pavano said. "I didn't exactly know what to expect this year, but I worked hard and stayed positive. There's still a long way to go for me to be remotely settled in."

Pavano has made one start against the Yankees since his disastrous tenure with them concluded. On April 19, he yielded one run and four hits in six innings of a 7-3 loss, but didn't factor in the decision.

While Pavano has been stellar lately, the Indians are 8-15 in games started by other pitchers this month.

Cleveland could be without Victor Martinez for the rest of this series after he fouled a ball off his left knee in the first inning Saturday and was replaced. The Indians said X-rays were negative and Martinez, hitting .350 with seven homers and 36 RBIs, is day to day with a bruise.

Cleveland is set to face Phil Hughes (3-2, 5.16), who tries to win his third straight start.

After giving up three runs and six hits with a career-high nine strikeouts in five innings of an 11-4 win over Baltimore on May 20, Hughes allowed three hits and struck out six in eight shutout innings of Monday's 11-1 victory at Texas. The right-hander is settling down after going 0-2 with an 11.81 ERA in his first three May starts.

"I think I've got a clearer mind-set now," Hughes told the Yankees' official Web site. "When you start letting other things leak into your head about managerial moves or what's going to happen, it's negative. I just try to think about pitching. One pitch, one game at a time."

In his only career start against the Indians on Aug. 10, 2007, Hughes allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts in six innings of a 6-1 victory.