Sat, May 27, 2006 page19

• Cabrera and Cano shadow each other

  MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera car pool when the Yankees play at home, and while on the road the teammates are all but inseparable

  • NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND AP
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  If you want to find Melky Cabrera, just look for Robinson Cano. Chances are Cabrera will be with him.

  "They're like shadows of each other," said Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman. "I call him `The Shadow.' They're always together, tied at the hip."

  Cano carried a bat around the Fenway Park clubhouse on Wednesday. So did Cabrera. They went out to the batting cage under the center-field stands for early hitting practice, and as they walked across the field after finishing, the Boston stars Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz intercepted them for hugs and friendly banter.

  

  New York Yankees, from left, Randy Johnson, Bubba Crosby, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano in the dugout while watching the ninth inning of their game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday. Boston defeated New York 9-5.

  PHOTO: AP

  Did Cano have a minute to talk about Cabrera? Not yet. "I have to go show him something on the computer," Cano said. But first, he and Cabrera sat in the dugout for a long chat with the first-base coach Tony Pena.

  "When you come to the big leagues, sometimes you find yourself lost," Pena said. "But having Cano around, he's really taken care of Cabrera."

  Wednesday's game was a revelation. Cabrera came in with a .306 average, and he had already been proving himself, working an 11-pitch walk to wear down the Mets' Billy Wagner in the ninth inning of a comeback victory last Saturday.

  But on Wednesday, after sitting out the previous game, Cabrera hit leadoff to give Johnny Damon a rest. Cabrera singled twice and drove in four runs, leading the Yankees to an 8-6 victory, their second in three games against the Red Sox.

  The schedule was to get easier last night, with the first of three home games against the floundering Kansas City Royals, who have lost 13 straight.

  "I didn't really know, batting him leadoff," manager Joe Torre said after Wednesday's game. "He doesn't say a whole lot, so you don't know, emotionally, what it's going to do to him. But he looked very comfortable there. He certainly is playing at the level he's capable of playing at."

  With Hideki Matsui possibly out for the season with a broken left wrist, the switch-hitting Cabrera, 21, is taking advantage of his latest chance. He is batting .325, and he capably handled the quirky right field at Fenway this week.

  Cabrera will shift to left field this weekend, with Gary Sheffield expected to be back in right. Cabrera has looked shaky in left, but his overall performance has stamped him as major league ready, the way Cano was when the Yankees promoted him last May.

  "Both of them are very similar in the fact that they're having fun," Torre said. "I don't think they understand the pressure most people understand here. They're just out there playing baseball."

  When Cano began his career in a deep slump last season, he still seemed to belong. But Cabrera failed his July audition, and the Yankees demoted him after six games. He went 4 for 19 and played an adventurous center field.

  "We pushed it too hard, too soon," General Manager Brian Cashman said. "But this year, it seems the timing is a little bit better."

  Cabrera said that an off-season of winter ball at home in the Dominican Republic helped. The presence of Cano, another Dominican just two years older than he is, is also important.

  "Robby always hangs out with him," infielder Miguel Cairo said, translating Cabrera's answers after Wednesday's game. "He's been telling him a lot about staying here."

  For young players anywhere -- and especially on the Yankees -- the start of a career is a lesson in survival. Last season, Cabrera's demotion came immediately after he misplayed a hit into an inside-the-park homer in Boston. Now his spot is safe, especially with Bubba Crosby joining Matsui on the disabled list.

  "I feel so happy for him," said Cano, who stood to the side as Cabrera spoke to reporters on Wednesday, smiling and making faces at his friend. "That's what I want him to do, so he can stay here."

  It is usually Cano who translates for Cabrera. He did so after the Mets game last Saturday, and when coaches who do not speak Spanish want to talk with Cabrera, they look for Cano.

  "If I have something to say to him, I'll bring over Robby and he'll explain it to him," said the infield coach Larry Bowa. "That's good for Robby, too. Even though he's still a young kid, it means he's maturing a little bit and taking on some responsibility."

  Cano, the 23-year-old second baseman, has been Bowa's pupil since spring training. Cano has hit well, at .299, sometimes batting fifth in the lineup because of injuries. He made just one error through May 16, but has had four in his past eight games.

  "His feet are too close together, so he's not getting good jumps," Bowa said. "He's a project for the year. He shows you all that ability, but he's only got a little bit over a year in the big leagues. People forget that. He's going to be fine."

  Based on the early showing of his second major league act, Cabrera may be fine, too.

  National League

  At New York Chase Utley had four hits, Brett Myers won for the first time in more than a month and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-3 victory over the NY Mets on Thursday.

  Bobby Abreu and Ryan Howard each homered and drove in two runs for the Phillies, who won for only the second time in nine games and trimmed New York's lead in the Major League Baseball's National League East Division to four games.

  Tom Gordon got his first save since May 14 at Cincinnati and Utley went 4-for-5 in his first career four-hit game, disappointing an announced crowd of 51,365 packed with children on school trips.

  Nationals 8, Astros 5

  In Washington, Jose Vidro hit a three-run homer and the Nationals beat Houston despite seven stolen bases by the Astros.

  Tony Armas won his fifth straight decision, Nick Johnson broke an 0-for-16 slump, leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano scored three runs, and rookie Ryan Zimmerman had three RBIs. Except for the fact that they almost ran out of catchers, everything seemed right for a Nationals team that has won five of six, including back-to-back series against Baltimore and Houston, and is playing by far its best baseball of the season.

  American League

  At Kansas City, Ivan Rodriguez drove in five runs in the final two innings and the Detroit Tigers rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Kansas City 13-8, handing the Royals their 13th straight loss.

  Rodriguez hit a two-run triple in the eighth to erase Kansas City's 8-6 lead and a three-run homer in Detroit's five-run ninth. Craig Monroe, who went 4-for-4, and Marcus Thames started the ninth with solo homers off Elmer Dessens (2-5).

  Detroit scored eight runs in the final two innings to complete their first four-game sweep in Kansas City. Thames also hit a two-run homer for the Tigers, who have won 13 of their last 14 games.

  Orioles 2, Mariners 0

  In Seattle, Struggling Rodrigo Lopez allowed two hits in 7 1-3 dominant innings to lead the Orioles to the win.

  Lopez (2-7) retired 18 consecutive batters over one stretch. Lopez, who struck out four, ended a seven-game losing streak, the longest of his six-season career.

  Chris Ray pitched 1 2-3 perfect innings for his 12th save in 12 chances.

  Brian Roberts doubled twice and scored two runs as Baltimore split the four-game series.

  Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4 to end his AL season-high 18-game hitting streak.

  Gil Meche (4-3) allowed two runs in seven innings for Seattle. He struck out a season-high 10 and walked two.

  Red Sox 4, Devil Rays 1

  At Boston, Josh Beckett struck out seven in six shutout innings for his fourth consecutive win, and David Ortiz snapped out of a slump with two hits and an RBI as Boston downed Tampa Bay.

  Beckett (7-1) coasted through 101 pitches, giving up four hits and a walk before leaving with a 3-0 lead. Jonathan Papelbon got the last four outs for his 16th save in 16 tries.

  Doug Waechter (0-3) gave up three runs and 11 hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

  Carl Crawford cooled off -- just a little. A day after going 5-for-5 with five runs and four stolen bases, the Devil Rays center fielder went 3-for-4, stole two bases and made a diving catch to end the eighth.

  Rangers 8, Athletics 7

  At Arlington, Texas, Phil Nevin snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a two-out homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and Texas handed Oakland its sixth straight loss.

  Rookie second baseman Ian Kinsler came off the disabled list and homered twice as the Rangers overcame a seven-run deficit. Rod Barajas hit a grand slam and Mark Teixeira also homered for the Rangers.

  Nevin's eighth homer, his first in May, was off A's closer Huston Street (1-2), who came on in the ninth.

  Rangers closer Akinori Otsuka (1-1) worked the top of the ninth.

  Kinsler, activated before the game after missing six weeks because of a dislocated left thumb, went 3-for-4.
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