Texas Rangers 9 – New York Yankees 6
The Texas Rangers came in as one of the best in the American League as the Yankees look to make an impression.
In the first inning, Ivan Nova got one out before Ian Desmond flicked a solo home run into the short porch in right to put the Rangers ahead early. After Chi Chi Gonzalez shut the Yankees out in the first inning, the offense came to life in the second inning. Mark Teixeira led off with a single. With one out, Didi Gregorius added a single and Chase Headley tied the game with a single as Didi Gregorius went to third on the base hit. The advance by Gregorius paid off as Aaron Hicks grounded out to score a run and give the Yankees the one-run lead.
The see-saw feel of tonight’s game continued in the third inning.
After a walk of catcher Robinson Chirinos, Shin-Soo Choo hit a double that put two in scoring position with no outs. On a ground out by Ian Desmond, the Rangers tied the game. In the bottom of the inning, Brett Gardner flew out to shallow center field for the first out. Carlos Beltran triggered the same fly ball but Desmond stumbled coming in for a single. Brian McCann walked and Mark Teixeira reached on a bloop single of his own. Starlin Castro followed his teammates with a bloop single of his own, putting the Yankees back ahead yet again.
In the top of the fourth inning, Prince Fielder led off with a single. Then with one out, Elvis Andrus and Mitch Moreland got on to load the bases. Despite getting a strikeout for the second out, Choo came through with a two-out, two-run single to give the Rangers back the lead.
In the fifth inning, the Yankees got another rally going with singles by Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran. Brian McCann laced a base hit off the right field wall for a run-scoring single to tie the game at 4-4. Then with two outs, Didi Gregorius came up clutch with a single to left field that put the Yankees back ahead.
In five innings, Ivan Nova allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
After a perfect sixth inning by Richard Bleier and a perfect seventh inning by Dellin Betances, the Yankees received an insurance run. Leading off against reliever Luke Jackson, Mark Teixeira hit career home run 399 to right field, putting the Yankees ahead by two.
In the eighth inning, Andrew Miller came on and got Prince Fielder to strikeout but Rougned Odor socked a pitch into the second deck of right field to bring the Rangers within one. Miller bounced back with a pair of strikeouts to finish the inning with the one-run lead intact.
With rain pouring harder in the ninth inning than any other, Aroldis Chapman came on but his control was erratic as he walked Robinson Chirinos to start the inning. After falling behind to Choo to a 3-1 count, manager Joe Girardi came out to talk with the umpires about the condition of the mound and asked to give Chapman a new rosin bag.  The umpire crew ultimately decided to bring out the tarp for a rain delay.
Following the delay of more than three and a half hours, Kirby Yates took over on the mound. After striking out Choo, control eluded Yates as he hit Ian Desmond and Nomar Mazara (both with two strike counts) to load the bases. Adrian Beltre hit a single to left field, scoring two runs to put the Rangers back ahead. After Prince Fielder was hit to load the bases, Yates got the second out but Elvis Andrus added insurance in the form of a two-run single to right field.
With the Rangers up by three, closer Sam Dyson allowed an infield single but got the final three outs of a difficult Yankees loss. This was the first time the Yankees led after the eighth inning and lost since June 1, 2014.
Including a 20-minute delay before the game for the threat of rain, the rain delay lasted 3 hours, 56 minutes. The game lasted 3 hours, 43 minutes.
Win – Tony Barnette (5-2)
Loss – Kirby Yates (2-1)
Save – Sam Dyson (16)
Notables
Rangers
*Adrian Beltre – 1 for 5, R, 2 RBI (48)
*Shin-Soo Choo – 2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI (10)
Yankees
*Mark Teixeira – 3 for 5, 2 R, Solo home run (5) in the 7th, RBI (14)
*Didi Gregorius – 3 for 5, R, 2B, RBI (33)
Current Yankees Record: 37-38
