CLEVELAND - Carlos Carrasco apologized. By then, the Yankees had already done their damage.
After waiting 18 months to pitch in a major league game, Carrasco was ejected in the fourth inning for hitting New York's Kevin Youkilis 鈥� one pitch after giving up a home run to Robinson Cano 鈥� and the Yankees connected for five homers in a 14-1 rout of the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.
Carrasco, who just finished serving a suspension for hitting Kansas City's Billy Butler with a pitch in 2011, didn't get past the fourth in his first appearance since Aug. 3, 2011. The right-hander missed last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and may now be facing another suspension.
No wonder he had tears in his eyes after the game.
"I'm really sorry," Carrasco said, explaining that he slipped on the pitch that drilled Youkilis. "I'm coming from a six-game suspension, I don't want to do anything real bad and I'm just telling the truth. That's what happened."
Cano drove in five runs and Youkilis, Ichiro Suzuki, Lyle Overbay and Brennan Boesch also homered for the Yankees, who have outscored the Indians 25-7 in two games. Backed by the new Bronx Bombers, 40-year-old Andy Pettitte (2-0) pitched seven solid innings in his second strong start.
Brett Gardner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs and scored three runs. New York had 18 hits 鈥� 11 for extra bases.
It was New York's most lopsided win in Cleveland since 1931, when the Yankees beat the Indians 18-1.
With power hitters Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira on the disabled list, New York wasn't expected to hit as many homers 鈥� at least not until those guys get back. But after hitting eight in their first six games, the Yankees have doubled their total since coming to Progressive Field.
Cano, who had four hits, arrived for the four-game series batting .130 and without an extra-base hit. In the past two games, he is 7 for 10 with three homers, three doubles and seven RBIs.
"When he hits the ball hard, it's usually for extra bases and drives people in," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "I've seen him hit some balls in the last two days, I don't know how you can hit them any harder."
Indians manager Terry Francona was worried about Cano getting hot while in Cleveland. In 24 hours, the All-Star second baseman has gone from warm to scorching.
"He's one of the best hitters in the league," Francona said. "It seems like you make a good pitch and he hits a single. You make a mistake and it's over the fence."
Carrasco (0-1) was making his first start in two seasons. He made it a memorable one, and possibly his last for a while.
Before the game, Francona was excited about seeing Carrasco.
"The kid has gone through a lot to get back here," Francona said.
He may have to go through some more.
Carrasco gave up five runs in three innings 鈥� all with two outs. He retired the first two in the fourth and walked Gardner. Cano then hit a deep shot to left field to make it 7-0, and Carrasco's next pitch was high and tight on Youkilis, who had no chance of ducking from the fastball.
As Youkilis headed to first, plate umpire Jordan Baker casually strolled to the mound and tossed the ball back to Carrasco before signalling for him to leave. Carrasco didn't seem aware that he had been ejected and stood on the infield grass with his teammates. Asdrubal Cabrera had to tell Carrasco he had been tossed.
Francona came out to argue with Baker as Girardi watched intently from the top step of New York's dugout.
After the game, Carrasco was waiting outside Francona's office and told his manager he slipped on the pitch to Youkilis.
"I feel really bad," Carrasco said. "I know it doesn't look good. I just went to the office and apologized to Tito. I don't want to do anything like that. I just waited a year and a half. I don't want to be suspended again."
Francona understood why Carrasco was tossed and why the Yankees were unhappy.
"It didn't look good," Francona said. "I understand the umpire's viewpoint. I think if you look at the video, he slipped. If you're on the other side, I understand it. But that's what happened."
Girardi wasn't surprised Carrasco was thrown out.
"That was right in the middle of his back after a home run," he said. "No one ever knows if a guy truly does it on purpose. But he just came back from a suspension. If it was on purpose, it's not a good idea. If it wasn't, it looks like it was. Either way, it doesn't look good."
Carrasco's ejection led Francona to bring in Brett Myers, who was scheduled to start Wednesday's game. The Indians have not yet announced Myers' replacement.
The Yankees showed no mercy, scoring two in the sixth, four in the eighth and one in the ninth off Myers, who was charged with seven runs and three homers.
NOTES: Yankees DH Travis Hafner hit his 100th career homer at Progressive Field on Monday. Only Jim Thome (190) and Manny Ramirez (132) have hit more in the ballpark's history. Hafner played 10 seasons in Cleveland. ... Indians CF and leadoff man Michael Bourn was given the night off by Francona, who said the move had been planned for several days. ... Francona is 81-80 in his career managing against the Yankees. He went 6-6 in four seasons with Philadelphia and 75-72 in eight seasons with Boston. ... Myers has allowed seven homers in 10 1-3 innings.
