"We have been waiting all week for the benches to clear at Yankee Stadium after someone being plunked by a pitch.

It was just no one expected it with the Indians, not the Red Sox, in town.

Managers Joe Girardi and Manny Acta went nose-to-nose last night after Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona drilled Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira in the back with a 94 mph pitch in the second inning of the Yankees' 11-7 victory.

The minor scuffle highlighted a bounce-back night for the Yankees in front of 45,679 at the Stadium after the embarrassing sweep by the Red Sox. Ivan Nova held the Indians down and the Yankees belted out 15 hits in the first of a four-game series with the Indians, who sit atop the AL Central.

"I thought tonight was a good way to answer back and answer the call, because the last three games at home were very embarrassing for us," said Alex Rodriguez, who hit a mammoth blast in the fourth inning for his 625th career home run. "It's really not acceptable for us to play that type of baseball."

The final score was closer than it should have been, thanks to the Yankees' shaky bullpen. The Indians scored four runs in the ninth, and Girardi was forced to use Mariano Rivera in a game the Yankees had led 11-2.

Though Nova was great and the Yankees' offense broke out, the highlight of the night came early with Girardi and Acta squaring off. Curtis Granderson had hit Carmona's previous pitch into the seats in right field to put the Yankees up by four runs. After getting plunked, Teixeira jumped up and began shouting, "Throw it over the plate!" to Carmona, who jawed back at Teixeira. Girardi then ran onto the field to walk Teixeira to first, and he shouted "Bush league!" at Carmona. That led to players in both dugouts and bullpens running on the field."