Recap: New York Yankees versus Texas Rangers
The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers faced off for the second night in a row in what could be a preview of the ALCS. If the two-game series is any indication of things to come then baseball fans will be in for a treat.
For the second night in a row the game came down to the final inning of play. This time extra innings were not needed for a winner to emerge.
Down 6-1 after five innings, the Yankees offense caught on fire scoring runs in each of the last four innings to win the game 7-6.
Marcus Thames hit a single in the ninth inning to score Brett Gardner to give the Yankees the lead. On the night he would go three for five, scored two runs, knocked in two RBIs, struck out twice, and hit one homerun.
Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth after Elvis Andrus started the inning with a triple for his 24th save of the year. Rivera was tagged with his only loss in 32 appearances against Texas the night before when he gave up three hits, a walk, and one earned run.
Yankees starter Javier Vazquez did not factor into the decision after giving up six runs and eight hits with only one strikeout and two walks in a little more than four innings of work. Kerry Wood earned his second win of the season pitching the seventh and eighth innings, only allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two.
Cliff Lee pitched his shortest outing since joining the Rangers lasting one out into the seventh inning. Lee struck out eleven innings, but gave up eight hits and four earned runs while not issuing a walk for the twelfth time this season.
Lee and six other Ranger pitchers combined to strike out 17 Yankees on the night, tying the franchise record. The last time that had happened was in 1999 and 1901.
The win coupled with a loss by the Tampa Bay Rays moved the Yankees to a game and a half over the Rays in the AL East. The Rangers lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West shrunk to seven and a half games.
Texas has the night off on Thursday while the Yankees start a four game series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City.
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