CLEVELAND -- The best way to forget about a disappointing first half of the season is to finish it in memorable fashion. That's what the New York Yankees did Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

The Yankees rode a six-run fifth inning and some sloppy defense by the Cleveland Indians to an 11-7 victory.

The Indians committed three errors which led to seven of the 11 runs allowed by Cleveland to be unearned. Jacoby Ellsbury had two hits, including a home run and three RBIs for the Yankees, who won three of four games in their series with the Central Division-leading Indians.

"This was probably our best series of the first half because we won a four-game series from a very good team," New York manager Joe Girardi said.

The Yankees went 5-5 on their 10-game trip to San Diego, Chicago and Cleveland and go into the All-Star break with a record of 44-44.

"It's important, because it's tough to go into the break under .500," Girardi said. "But we still have to make up ground, starting Friday, after the break."

The Indians (52-36) staggered into the All-Star break having lost six of their last nine games.

"Not a fun day," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "We looked a little raggedy out there and we can't play like that and win."

Nathan Eovaldi (7-6) pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, on one hit, to get the win.

Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (5-3) took the loss, pitching 3 2/3 innings, giving up five runs, but only one earned, and five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Masahiro Tanaka started for the Yankees but despite being handed an 11-1 lead, couldn't pitch the necessary five innings to qualify for the win.

"I just felt off today with all my pitches," Tanaka said. "The bottom line is I've got to go out there and shut them down, and I didn't do that."

New York took a 5-1 lead into the fifth, when the Yankees scored six runs in the top of the inning and the Indians scored six runs in the bottom of it.

The Yankees built their lead to 11-1 in the top of the fifth, sending 12 men to the plate against four Cleveland pitchers. An error by Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor made four of the six runs unearned. The other two runs came on sacrifice flies by Austin Romine and Brett Gardner.

"That inning the flood gates opened and everything that could go wrong did," Francona said.

In the bottom of the fifth, trailing 11-1, the Indians' rally began with a leadoff double by Carlos Santana off Tanaka. Jason Kipnis struck out, but Lindor doubled, scoring Santana. Mike Napoli singled Lindor to third, and a single by Jose Ramirez scored Lindor. Lonnie Chisenhall flied out for the second out.

Rajai Davis hit a grounder to shortstop Didi Gregorius, who threw wildly to first for an error. Napoli and Ramirez both scored to cut the New York lead to 11-5. Tyler Naquin then hit his ninth home run, a two-run blast over the wall in center field, to make it 11-7, sending Tanaka to the showers.

"I just felt like I had to get him out of there after 4 2/3. It's not what you want to do, but I felt I had to," Girardi said.

New York took an early 4-0 lead in the second inning. Starlin Castro led off with a double. One out later, Rob Refsnyder hit a grounder to Lindor at short. Lindor's throw to first was not caught by Santana. It went as a two-base error on Santana, allowing Castro to score and putting Refsnyder at second. Romine followed with a double to right field, moving Refsnyder to third.

Carrasco struck out Gardner, but Ellsbury hit a three-run home run over the center field wall to give New York a 4-0 lead.

"I tried to throw a changeup, but it was a little flat, and he hit it good," Carrasco said.

An RBI single by Davis in the second inning cut it to 4-1.

NOTES: Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar will not pitch in the All-Star game due to mild elbow discomfort. The Indians announced he is expected to make his scheduled start on July 19 in Kansas City. ... Indians OF Michael Brantley will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Monday with Mahoning Valley (Ohio) in the short-season New York-Penn League. Brantley has been on the disabled list since May 14 with right shoulder inflammation. He had surgery in November to repair a torn labrum. ... Cleveland manager Terry Francona said the team's rotation coming out of the All-Star break will be RHP Carlos Carrasco, RHP Trevor Bauer, RHP Josh Tomlin and RHP Corey Kluber. ... Yankees OF Carlos Beltran needs two RBIs for 1,500 for his career, and he's 12 short from tying Mickey Mantle (1,509) for 45th place on the all-time list. ... Yankees C Brian McCann leads all major league catchers in home runs with 14.