CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Abraham Almonte uncoiled his bat, he lunged toward Dellin Betances' breaking ball.
Almonte's momentum yanked him toward the edge of the batter's box, so he didn't see the ball skip past Yankees catcher Brian McCann. Had he noticed the baseball's extracurricular path, he would've been safe at first. Tyler Naquin might have scored. The Indians might have tied the game.
Instead, Almonte -- who struck out on three pitches -- got a late start toward first. McCann's throw beat him to the bag to end the seventh inning. The Yankees maintained their 5-4 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish, despite Cleveland's persistence against their vaunted bullpen.