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Indians-Yankees Preview

May 29, 2010 - 4:08 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (17-28) at New York (28-19), 1:05 p.m. EDT

Perhaps the sight of his old team will help CC Sabathia break out of a rough stretch.

The New York Yankees ace will try to win for the first time in five starts as he faces the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

Sabathia (4-3, 3.86 ERA) is 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in four outings since his last victory May 3 against Baltimore. He matched a season high by allowing six runs over five innings in last Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Mets.

"It all comes down to location," manager Joe Girardi told the Yankees' official website. "When you don't locate and you make mistakes, you're going to get beat."

Sabathia is hoping some mid-week work with pitching coach Dave Eiland will help cure his woes. Eiland noticed a flaw with Sabathia's delivery, and the left-hander believes he has solved the problem.

Last season, Sabathia went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts against the Indians (17-29) - his first outings against the franchise with which he spent his first seven-plus seasons.

New York (29-19) opened this four-game set with an 8-2 victory Friday. Robinson Cano hit a grand slam in his first start batting cleanup, and Phil Hughes pitched seven strong innings in the Yankees' third win in four games.

Cano is 19 for 42 with 10 RBIs in his last 10 games. He was batting cleanup with Alex Rodriguez getting a scheduled night off.

"It was great," Cano said. "It's a good feeling, first time being cleanup hitter."

Rodriguez hasn't played a home game against the Indians since April 19, 2007, and that should end Saturday. The Yankees arrived back in town late after a series in Minnesota and chose to rest the star third baseman, who has gone a season-high seven straight games without driving in a run.

"We still have to take care of him," general manager Brian Cashman said. "Today seemed like the perfect day after getting in at 5 a.m. He's tired, probably. All of the guys are."

Center fielder Curtis Granderson was activated off the disabled list and went 1 for 3 in his first action since May 1. Granderson was sidelined with a strained left groin.

Francisco Cervelli was also given the night off after catching the last 10 games. Chad Moeller made his first start with the Yankees and was 1 for 4.

Cleveland fell for the ninth time in 11 games. The top three hitters in the last-place Indians' lineup combined to go 0 for 11 with a walk and five strikeouts.

The Yankees will get their first look at Indians starter David Huff (2-6, 5.25), who ended a personal five-game skid Sunday when he gave up three runs over six innings in a 4-3 win over Cincinnati. It was his first victory since April 15.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks," Huff said. "It was time to move on."

The left-hander is 0-5 with a 6.11 ERA in five road starts this year.