The New York Yankees earn a series split as they touched up the Cleveland Indians in an 8-1 pounding this afternoon.

Luis Severino was absolutely brilliant in the New York Yankees series splitting victory in Cleveland today. The offense finally came through with some much-needed clutch hitting this afternoon as they hung eight runs on a total of twelve hits in a game where they didn’t record their first hit until the fourth inning.

Early on, Carlos Carrasco and Luis Severino found themselves in a tight-knit, strikeout heavy duel. But, it was Severino that stole the headlines as he tossed nearly seven innings of two-hit ball in route to his fourth victory since the All-Star break.

Highlights

Both Severino and Carrasco were impressively dominant throughout the first three innings of the game.  Carrasco was perfect through his first three innings of work, while Severino recorded seven of his nine outs via the strikeout.

The only hit either man coughed up during the first third of the game was a solo home run to center off the bat of Michael Brantley in the bottom of the first that gave the Indians an early one run lead. In fact, that was the only hit Severino allowed through the first six innings of work.

Breakout Party

Although Carrasco didn’t allow a hit until the top of the fourth, the righty woke up this sleeping giant known as the Yankee offense as the Bombers put up a five spot in the top of the sixth.

Brett Gardner led off the inning with a single to center, advancing to third when the next batter Clint Frazier doubled. After an Aaron Judge intentional walk loaded the bases, Chase Headley hit a one-out sacrifice fly to center that scored Gardner to knot the game up at one apiece. The next batter Todd Frazier worked an enormous two-out walk to re-load the bases against the suddenly struggling Carrasco. Jacoby Ellsbury ended Carrasco’s afternoon when he took a fastball and laced it over the head of the right fielder Abraham Almonte and off the wall for a triple that unloaded the bases to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead.

Carrasco was then lifted for right handed Brian Shaw, who immediately gave up a sharp single to Ronald Torreyes that plated Ellsbury to open it up to a four run Yankee lead.

#AllRise

You figured that if the Yankee bats were going to wake up, so too would the slumbering bat of Aaron Judge. And the Rookie of the Year front runner did just that as he launched his AL leading 35th home run in the top of the seventh.

With two men on, his excellency took an offering from Indian’s right handed reliever Mike Clevinger and deposited it into the seats in right center for a three run oppo-taco job That broke the game wide open at 8-1.

Chasen Shreve came on in the ninth and closed out the victory by getting the Indians to go down in order, falling to the Yanks by a final of 8-1. With the Red Sox also winning today, the Yankees remain three games out of first place in the American League East.

What’s Next?

The Yankees will happily take this series split into their much deserved day off tomorrow as they head to Toronto for their upcoming three-game set with the Blue Jays.

Tuesday is set to be a battle of veteran lefties as C.C. Sabathia (9-4, 3.81 ERA) and J.A. Happ (4-8, 3.92 ERA) square off in the first game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET and can be seen on the YES Network and heard on WFAN 660/101.9 FM.