CLEVELAND -- There have been flashes of brilliance over Domingo German's first dozen big league starts, leaving the Yankees enthused about his future as a big league contributor. There has also been enough inconsistency to prompt pause, so starting pitching remains the main concern for a club that expects to make a deep postseason run.
Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez each drove home a pair of runs as German was thumped for six runs in four-plus innings, creating an early deficit that the Yankees were unable to slug out of. Cleveland held on for a 6-5 victory on Friday evening at Progressive Field for its first win over New York in five tries this year.