CLEVELAND (AP) - Manager Manny Acta is trying to find positives for the reeling Cleveland Indians.

That's what the season has come to for Acta. Cleveland's extended tailspin continued with Sunday's 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees.

``We pitched OK, which made for a decent ballgame,' Acta said. ``That makes it easier to take then when you're trailing by a ton of runs and it sucks the energy out of everybody.'

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Ubaldo Jimenez, who leads the AL in losses, allowed three runs - all coming in the second - in five innings. The right-hander (9-13) fell to 1-6 in nine starts since the All-Star break.

The Indians broke a nine-game losing streak with a 3-1 win on Saturday, but an early deficit and a lack of clutch hitting were too much to overcome for Cleveland, which has lost nine of 10.

``We just need to show up (Monday) and worry about that game,' Acta said. ``We can't be talking about stringing wins together. Take it one at a time and win one before you can string two, three or four.'

Carlos Santana's two-run single with the bases loaded in the fifth cut the lead to 3-2, but that was the only big hit the Indians could muster. Cleveland's hitters were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position and nine were stranded.

Jason Kipnis had three hits and a career-high three stolen bases.

The Indians acquired Jimenez to be a difference maker. More than a year later, they're still waiting. Picked up from Colorado for top pitching prospects Alex White and Drew Pomeranz at last season's trade deadline, Jimenez is 13-17 since the trade.

``He's been inconsistent, period,' Acta said. ``He's had some good outings and he has struggled. As of late, he has competed better. Today was a case where every inning he had somebody on base, but he didn't crumble.'

``I haven't been consistent,' Jimenez said. ``That's the first thing I'm unhappy about.'

Curtis Granderson hit his 200th career homer off Tony Sipp in the sixth. The Yankees took two of three in the series following a three-game losing streak, opening a four-game lead in the AL East over idle Tampa Bay.

``A good win because we needed to beat these guys,' Granderson said. ``We needed to win a series here, get things back in order and now we head home.'

Jimenez's second-inning problems began when Eric Chavez singled and Raul Ibanez walked. Ichiro Suzuki's single gave New York the lead. After a sacrifice, Derek Jeter's groundout scored Ibanez. With a chance to limit the damage to two runs, Jimenez allowed a single to Nick Swisher that put the Indians in a 3-0 hole.

Jimenez allowed at least one base runner in every inning, giving up eight hits and one walk. He threw 100 pitches.

Yankees starter Freddy Garcia worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, getting Santana to pop a 3-2 pitch to right. The right-hander wasn't as fortunate in the fifth after getting two quick outs. Kipnis singled, Garcia hit Asdrubal Cabrera with a pitch and then walked Shin-Soo Choo. This time, Santana grounded the first pitch up the middle for a two-run single to make it 3-2.

Garcia left the game in favor of Boone Logan, who retired Michael Brantley on a groundout with runners on first and third. Logan (5-2) pitched 1 2-3 innings for the win. Rafael Soriano got four outs for his 33rd save in 35 chances.

Soriano was hit in the right arm by a line drive off Kipnis' bat in the ninth and recovered to get the out. After being checked by manager Joe Girardi and trainer Steve Donohue, the right-hander retired Cabrera on a soft liner to end it.

NOTES: Ohio native John Glenn, the former U.S. senator and astronaut celebrating 50 years since his historic space flight, tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Cleveland went 1-5 against the Yankees this season. ... The Indians are three games into a 10-game homestand, their longest of the season. Cleveland opens a four-game series with Oakland on Monday. RHP Roberto Hernandez faces LHP Brett Anderson.