New York Yankees’ 2011 MLB Regular Season journey – Part 5
With three series out of four in their hands, the Yankees were jubilant and their next competition was with the league rivals, Texas Rangers for a three-game series from April 15 to 17 at Yankee Stadium.
Since then Yankees’ batting had proved vital in crucial situations but now Girardi had a serious look at his pitching depth. It was the Yankees first meeting with the opposition since the American League Championship Series in 2010, which the Bronx Bombers
lost 2-4. It was the chance for the club to take revenge but it did not prove an easy series.
In the first outing, the Rangers dominated and won it with a score of 5-3. Matt Harrison was the source of trouble for the Yankees as the pitcher tossed eight strong innings and gave away only two runs.
Girardi was impressed with the way the right-hander troubled the Yankees’ batting. He appreciated Harrison saying, "If you have that many, he's doing something right. You're making good pitches when you have to."
Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira received unplayable pitches and struggled to open their account. Rodriguez managed to score a single run while Curtis Granderson launched a one-run homer. Eric Chavez singled to centre for an RBI.
Ivan Nova lost his first outing, allowing five runs in just over four innings.
Yankees had received another wound and it was not curable unless the club overthrew the opposition in both of the remaining outings.
This time Girardi took a brave decision and handed the ball to Freddy Garcia to start the outing. Garcia did not make this decision miserable and tossed six shut-out innings to help the Yankees to a 5-2 win. Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera
helped him through his first win of the season.
At bat, Mark Teixeira launched a two-run homer in the first and then hit a sacrifice fly for a single in the third. Robinson Cano closed down the outing with a devastating 343-feet long homer in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Now the last outing turned into finale and the same situation had happened against the Boston Red Sox. Girardi however was not ready to receive a loss but Rodriguez was not available for the finale.
It proved to be real competitive game, as the impetus of both teams was at the top. The Yankees were a little worried because their inform player Alex Rodriguez was not in the squad because of an injury. However, Robinson Cano, Russell Martin and Curtis
Granderson did not make Girardi worry throughout the outing.
Carsten Charles Sabathia yielded four runs and eight hits in just over six innings but gained six strike-outs. Joba Chamberlain tossed in a crucial time and managed to restrict him only for a single run.
Game was tied at five-all until the end of the seventh inning, but Eric Chavez singled to centre, allowing Nick Swisher to score a leading run.
"When I made the decision to come here, I knew what it was going to be. Obviously, Alex is going to play a ton of games and when I get in there I've just got to be ready to play," said Chavez, "I'm going to keep the same approach the whole year."
Rivera tossed a perfect ninth inning and helped the Yankees to a 6-5 win. Yankees took their revenge and sent the Rangers home with a wounded heart.
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