Yankees are no match for Indians

CLEVELAND -- Jhonny Peralta hit a three-run homer off Andy Pettitte in the fifth inning and the Cleveland Indians won their fourth in a row Friday night, beating the New York Yankees, 6-4, in the Yankees’ first visit since last year’s American League playoffs when they were bombarded by swarming bugs.

Peralta’s big shot off Pettitte (3-2) put the Indians ahead, 4-3, and Franklin Gutierrez followed with a homer off the left-hander.

Peralta had four runs batted in and Jamey Carroll had a run-scoring single and stole two bases for the Indians, who scored all their runs with two outs. Rafael Betancourt worked a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.

Jason Giambi homered twice and Hideki Matsui connected for the Yankees, whose previous trip to Cleveland ended with an unforgettable loss that began a chain of events leading to the end of manager Joe Torre’s era in New York.

On an uncommonly warm Oct. 5 night, a swarm of midges off Lake Erie descended upon Cleveland’s infield and seemed to enjoy feasting on Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain during the eighth inning of Game 2.

Chamberlain’s face and neck were covered with the tiny, flying critters, who bothered him so much that he uncorked two wild pitches, including one that allowed the Indians to tie the score of a game they eventually won, 2-1, in 11 innings.