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Preview: Yankees @ Rangers (7/24/13)

Andy Pettitte (7-7, 4.47 ERA) is on the mound in game three of the four in Arlington and takes on the new addition to the Rangers Matt Garza. The last seven starts have been frustrating for Pettitte, he has gone 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA, and opponents have hit .311 against him after a beautiful outing on June 8 at Seattle. Most troubling of all for Pettitte is that he feels completely healthy.

Garza will make his Rangers debut having been acquired by the Cubs on Monday night, . The 29 year old righty dealt six consecutive quality starts before being dealt. He was 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA with the Cubs before the trade. The Yankees have had plenty of experience facing Matt Garza over the past seven seasons. They’ve had plenty of success against him, too. They are 11-1 in 12 games with 11 home runs and 38 runs scored in 66 1/3 innings against him. The Lack of Bombers will face Garza for the 13th time of his career tonight.

But after talking to Garza, Ron Washington isn’t worried about the Yankees’ past success. “He was excited, big smile on his face,” Washington said. “I think I sit here with just as big of a smile as he did. He’s ready to go, man. I wouldn’t expect anything less. When he was in Tampa Bay, you saw how he competes. He’s a quality pitcher, and we’re certainly looking for quality things out of him. The one thing I did tell him is, don’t try to put us on his shoulders. Just be who he is; that’ll be good enough for us.”

“It’s been a few years, but we’ve seen a lot of him, and he’s a pitcher that’s had success pretty much anywhere he’s been,” Joe Girardi said. “He’s pitched in the American League East, which is not the easiest place to pitch. He’s pitched in pennant races. You would expect it to be a good acquisition for the Rangers.”

After battling a prolonged slump that lasted through May and June, Vernon Wells seems to have finally found his stride again in July. The outfielder is batting .326 with six RBIs in 46 at bats this month after hitting just .184 with 18 RBIs over his previous 179 at bats.

“He seems to be back,” Girardi said of Wells. “It’s good to have him around. I’ve enjoyed having him on our team, and it’s nice to have him swinging the bat well, too.”

Travis Hafner hasn’t experienced the same turnaround, though. The designated hitter’s batting average has dropped every month this season, and he’s hitting only .151 in his last 31 games.

 

Notes on the game.

The Yankees, who lost 3-0, on Monday, are 6-2 in games played immediately following a shutout loss.

Tuesday’s lost marked the first game this season the Rangers had lost when leading after eight innings. They were previously 51-0.

With three doubles and a triple on Tuesday, the Yankees snapped a 24-inning streak in which they had not recorded an extra base hit.

 

Game kicks off at 8:05 PM (EST) on Yes