CLEVELAND _ After the Indians somehow pushed two runs across on an infield single, the Yankees responded with an oddity of their own.
The Little League home run.
Aided by two Cleveland errors, Austin Romine made it around the bases to break a seventh-inning tie _ sending the Yankees toward a 5-4 victory on a warm Saturday night at Progressive Field.
Yet, Aaron Boone wasn't present to see it live.
The rookie Yankees manager earned his second ejection of the season, this one for arguing a strange, sixth-inning strikeout call against Giancarlo Stanton.
Greg Bird soon followed with a solo home run, extending the Yanks lead to 4-2 against Indians starter Mike Clevinger.
Didi Gregorius had struck early, with a three-run homer in the first. But only in the T-ball box scores would there be a third Yankee homer off Clevinger.
As Romine led off the seventh inning, the Yankees catcher roped a sure double that rolled to the right-center-field wall.
But Brandon Guyer had trouble picking it up, and Romine motored to third on that error _ coming in with a head first slide.
That's when Romine noticed second baseman Erik Gonzalez's replay had sailed into the home dugout. Third-base umpire Gabe Morales pointed Romine home, and teammates fanned him with towels once he got to the Yankees bench.
The "homer" chased Clevinger and the Yankees (62-32) won the bullpen battle, with David Robertson (7-3), Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman closing it out.
On Sunday, the AL Central-leading Indians (51-43) will send Trevor Bauer to oppose Masahiro Tanaka in a series finale that also ushers in the All-Star break.
Though he did not figure in Saturday's decision, CC Sabathia remained undefeated (12-0) in 19 regular-season starts following a Yankees loss, a string that dates to the start of the 2017 season.
Sabathia gave back single runs in the first and third innings, which included a solo homer by Jose Ramirez _ his 29th of the year, matching his entire total from last season.
But Sabathia didn't make it out of the sixth inning, the damage coming on two infield hits and a walk.
Ultimately, Sabathia was charged with four runs on four hits and two walks, with two strikeouts in 52/3 innings.
With runners at second and third with two outs, Guyer hit a tricky hopper toward Miguel Andujar.
The rookie third baseman fielded the ball backing up, but threw too late to catch Guyer at first.
Michael Brantley easily scored from third, and Ramirez kept running from second and scored as first baseman Bird's high throw eluded Romine.
And in the span of a crazy few seconds, the Indians had tied the game.
Clevinger lasted six innings, charged with four runs.
His only walk was to Brett Gardner, opening the game. Aaron Judge followed with a single and Gregorius followed that with his 17th homer of the year _ a blast to right-center _ and his second in this series.
Bird's shot to right was his eighth of the year. It also extended his hitting streak to eight straight games, matching his career high.
Over that span, Bird is batting .321 (9-for-28) with two doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs.
