New York Yankees 2 — Texas Rangers 3
Early offense enough for Texas Rangers to take the rubber match.
To say Brett Gardner is swinging a hot bat would be an understatement. To open tonight’s game against the Rangers’ Colby Lewis, Brett Gardner hit his fourth home run in his last 10 at-bats. After two outs, the Yankees would load the bases with a pair of walks around a single but a ground out would keep the damage to just one despite 29 pitches from Lewis.
The Rangers would respond quickly against Hiroki Kuroda.
Shin-Soo Choo would start the bottom of the first with a single. Elvis Andrus would follow with a double down the left field line and as quick as the Yankees got the lead, the game was tied. Kuroda would get the first out of the inning but Adrian Beltre would put the Rangers ahead with a single. Another pair of singles, the last being by Leonys Martin, put the Rangers ahead by two.
The Yankees would get one back in the third inning on a Jacoby Ellsbury home run but offense would go silent afterwards.
Colby Lewis would retire 14 of the last 15 batters he faced following the Ellsbury home run in the third inning. In seven innings, Colby Lewis allowed two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out four. On the other side, Hiroki Kuroda had just two innings in which he retired the Rangers in order. Despite the problematic start, Hiroki Kuroda would give the Yankees a quality effort that gave them a chance to win.
In seven innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed three runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out four.
Reliever Neal Cotts and closer Neftali Feliz would add onto the 13 straight retired by Lewis with six more to finish off the game and render the Yankees hitless in their last 19 at-bats. A quality starting effort wasted due to a lack of offense would be a familiar theme in the 2014 New York Yankees season.
Win – Colby Lewis (7-6)
Loss – Hiroki Kuroda (7-7)
Save – Neftali Feliz (3)
Notables
Yankees
*Brett Gardner – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (14) in the 1st, RBI (47)
*Jacoby Ellsbury – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (9) in the 3rd. RBI (48)
Rangers
*Adrian Beltre – 2 for 4, R, RBI (58)
*Elvis Andrus – 1 for 4, R, 2B, RBI (28)
Current Yankees Record: 55-52
