Robertson's back tightens up, but he's not concerned

David Robertson said he felt his back tighten up Saturday while he faced Trevor Crowe in the seventh inning. Robertson toughed out two more batters, but Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland could not ignore the pained look on Robertson's face when he delivered a first-pitch ball to Jhonny Peralta.

"I think they saw me cringe," said Robertson, who is day-to-day with a mild lower back strain. He said he doesn't think it is a serious injury. "Tomorrow, I'll show up and they'll see how I feel,'' he said. "I'm not worried."

He said the pain is right above where he took a line drive off the bat of Joe Mauer Wednesday in Minnesota. "I didn't feel it the first couple days [after getting hit]," he said. "Today it just tensed up. I couldn't finish a pitch."

CC, Cervelli crossed up

CC Sabathia retired 10 of the first 11 Indians to bat but hit a roadblock in the fourth, allowing three runs and needing a couple of mound conferences with Francisco Cervelli. Sabathia took the blame. "I was just missing signs," he said. "It's totally my fault for not being able to see the signs."

That was the inning after Indians starter David Huff took a line drive off his head, causing a 15-minute delay. Sabathia said that delay did not cause him to lose his rhythm.

Extra bases

Robinson Cano is 8-for-12 with nine RBIs in the last three games . . . Derek Jeter made his major-league debut 15 years ago yesterday, going 0-for-5 in an 8-7 loss to the Mariners. Jeter's 1,602 runs and 2,807 hits are the most of any player within 15 years of his debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau . . . Kerry Wood gave up a run on Jeter's two-out double but struck out Nick Swisher to end the game for his second save of the year. He has an 11.05 ERA.