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May 31, 2009 - 10:18 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (29-20) at Cleveland (21-30), 7:05 p.m. EDT

A lowlight of Joba Chamberlain's young career was an inauspicious postseason relief appearance at Cleveland. Two years later, he'll finally get a chance to make his first start at Progressive Field.

The Yankees send Chamberlain to the mound Monday night when they try to capture a four-game series against the Cleveland Indians.

During a 2007 AL division series, Chamberlain (2-1, 3.97 ERA) made his first career postseason appearance in Game 2 at Cleveland. He didn't allow a hit, but gave up the tying run in the eighth inning while walking two, hitting a batter, throwing two wild pitches and dealing with a swarm of bugs.

Chamberlain pitched two scoreless innings at Progressive Field last season. Including the playoff appearance, he hasn't allowed a hit over 5 2-3 innings in Cleveland.

The right-hander turned in a forgettable outing Tuesday at Texas, allowing three runs over four innings with four walks. Chamberlain did not get a decision, and the Yankees lost 7-3.

"Plain and simple, I was terrible," he said. "I've got to do a better job of keeping the team in the game."

Chamberlain faced the Indians in New York on April 17, when he gave up five runs over 4 2-3 innings before the Yankees rallied to win 6-5.

New York (29-21) took the first two games of this series before Cleveland (22-30) won 5-4 on Sunday on Jhonny Peralta's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Peralta finished with three hits and three RBIs.

The Yankees walked only two hitters through the first eight innings before issuing two more free passes in the ninth, including a leadoff walk by Trevor Crowe. The rookie scored the winning run on Peralta's hit.

"The walks hurt us," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "That's the bottom line. Walks aren't something you can't afford in that situation."

Mark Teixeira extended his season-high hitting streak to 13 games and drove in all four runs for New York. He hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and added a game-tying two-run double in the eighth.

Teixeira is batting .400 (22 for 55) with eight homers and 20 RBIs during his streak.

His run isn't even the longest current one by a New York player. Captain Derek Jeter is batting .397 (25-for-63) during a 14-game hitting streak, and has five straight multihit efforts - going 11 for 23 in that span.

New York played its 17th straight errorless game Sunday, tying the major league record set by Boston in June 2006. The Yankees lost for only the fourth time in 18 games.

Cleveland's Jeremy Sowers (1-2, 7.71) returns to the rotation after recording his first win of the season. Sowers posted a 12.00 ERA in losing two straight starts before yielding three hits over five scoreless innings of relief to earn an 11-10 win over Tampa Bay last Monday - his first career relief appearance after 51 starts.

The left-hander is 1-1 with a 6.60 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees.

Indians catcher Victor Martinez sat out Sunday after bruising his left knee the day before. He is unsure when he will be back.