Yanks-Rangers series thread

[General]

Giambi walks...what else is new.

[General]

Well, we blew the lead but Jeter just homered to get it back. 9-8 Yanks.

[General]

Rivera Ks Soriano and the Yankees win 9-8.

[nyjunc]

We blew the big lead but at least we got the W, this was the opposite of the well pitched, well played Chicago series but I'll take a W any way we can get it. Tonight we should see another long, high scoring game w/ Chris Young vs. Al leiter. Hopefully we can get another W.

[nyjunc]

We're down 4-1 earl;y, a bad E by Jeter allowed 2 runs in the 1st. There's still time, this is going to be a long game.

Anyway, I'll be away for a couple of weeks so hopefully when I'm back the Yanks will be w/in striking distance of the Sox and WC.

[General]

"Jeter's the best fielding SS" blah blah blah.

That is why I disagree.

[realmofotalk]

It's not like Tejada is available on the market. You rather have Orlando Cabrera as your shortstop?

[General]

I'd rather have Furcal.

[General]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bernie Williams hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, and the New York Yankees overcame Mariano Rivera's first blown save in more than four months to beat the fading Texas Rangers 7-5 Saturday.

Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield each homered and drove in two runs for the Yankees (63-52), who won their third straight and moved 11 games over .500 for the first time this season. Rodriguez's AL-leading 34th homer was a mammoth shot to left, and it came one pitch after Sheffield's drive in the third inning.

Kevin Mench had four hits, including a two-run homer off Mike Mussina in the eighth and a tying, two-run single in the ninth for the Rangers, who have dropped a season-high six straight.

Tino Martinez, who replaced Jason Giambi at first base for defense, led off the 11th with a single off Kameron Loe (5-4). Williams hit the next pitch over the right-center fence for his ninth homer of the season.

Aaron Small (4-0) pitched a scoreless 11th for the win -- helped by Rodriguez's run-saving, diving stop of Sandy Alomar's shot down the third-base line to end the inning. One night after starter Shawn Chacon pitched in relief, Small did the same for the Yankees -- though he is expected to move to the bullpen next week when Jaret Wright returns from the disabled list.

Rivera squandered a save opportunity for the first time since blowing his first two chances of the season against Boston on April 5 and 6. He had converted a career-best 31 in a row.

After a night off Friday when the Yankees used Tanyon Sturtze to close, Rivera returned Saturday with a two-run lead but allowed one-out hits by Hank Blalock and Alfonso Soriano. After hitting Phil Nevin with a pitch, Rivera got a force play at the plate on Gary Matthews Jr.'s dribbler, but Mench singled to left to tie it at 5.

The Rangers' rally spoiled a superb start by Mussina, who pitched into the eighth in sweltering heat. He allowed three runs and six hits before departing to a big ovation after Mench's two-run homer with one out. He struck out eight and walked none.

Soriano also homered for the Rangers, on their longest skid since an eight-game losing streak from June 15-23, 2003.

Juan Dominguez, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Oklahoma, allowed five runs and nine hits in his first start of the season. He had a career-high 10 strikeouts

Sheffield struck out in the first inning and looked bad while swinging through the first two pitches of his second at-bat. But he hit the next pitch over the left-field fence for his 24th homer, giving New York a 3-0 lead.

Rodriguez drove the next pitch into the area where the ambulance parks, well beyond Monument Park. The Yankees estimated the homer at 485 feet.

Rodriguez's homer was his 20th this season at Yankee Stadium, breaking the record held by Joe DiMaggio (1937) and Sheffield (2004) for most by a right-handed batter.

Soriano hit the first pitch of the fifth for his 29th homer.

Dominguez trailed 2-0 after 11 pitches. Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui hit consecutive run-scoring singles.

The Yankees added a run in the seventh when Cano legged out a two-out double and scored on Sheffield's single.

[RLA68]

I am thrilled at how we did in the Texas but remember that the Rangers are sinking like a rock in the Gulf of Mexico.

We need to take this intensity and take it to the ChiSox and everyone else that comes up.

[RLA68]

Damn it, Boston will not lose. 5-0 lead vs the Chi-Sox in the 7th.

We have 1 more vs Texas with Chacon going then we get Tampa for 3 and then the ChiSox for 3.

[General]

We better sweep Tampa and take 2 out of 3 from the Chis0x.

[RLA68]

Very nice to sweep the Rangers but we have to get it done game by game and hope that someone out the RedSox, A's or Angels stumble.

[General]

w00t! I love 4 game sweeps.

[RLA68]

They are better than winning the first 3 and then losing 4 in row.