October 1, 1996: Yankees drop ALDS game 1 to Texas
The Yankees were eager to get to the playoffs and hit the reset button. They had backed in somewhat after a shaky second half, and wanted to start fresh. However, they've run into a tough opponent in the Texas Rangers, who they've had trouble with this season. Those struggles continued as New York dropped game one of the ALDS by a score of 6-2.
David Cone started for the Yankees, and pitched decently up until the fourth inning when Texas exploded for a five-spot. Cone served up a three-run home run to Juan Gonzalez and a two-run shot to Dean Palmer, and the Yankees were down 5-1. Cone would end up going six, giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out eight.
The Yankees actually jumped out to a quick lead in this game. In the bottom of the first, Bernie Williams drove in Tim Raines with an RBI groundout. However, the Yanks didn't score again until the bottom of the fourth when Mariano Duncan singled home Tino Martinez. Texas added their final run in the sixth on a Mark McLemore RBI single to right field. Manager Joe Torre went to Graeme Lloyd and David Weathers, who pitched a combined three scoreless innings to finish the game.
The Yankees are essentially in a must-win situation now that they're down 0-1 in a best of five. They'll send Andy Pettitte to the mound against Ken Hill tomorrow night.
Box score:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Rangers 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 6 8 0
Yankees 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 0Batting AB R H RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG
Raines LF 5 1 1 0 0 1 .200 .200 .200
Boggs 3B 5 0 1 0 0 1 .200 .200 .400
ONeill RF 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
Williams CF 4 0 1 1 0 0 .250 .250 .250
Martinez 1B 4 1 3 0 0 0 .750 .750 1.250
Strawberry DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000
Duncan 2B 4 0 2 1 0 1 .500 .500 .500
Girardi C 3 0 1 0 1 0 .333 .500 .333
Jeter SS 4 0 1 0 0 1 .250 .250 .2502B:Boggs (1);Martinez 2 (2). RBI:Duncan (1);Williams (1)
Pitching IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Cone L (0-1) 6 8 6 6 2 8 9.00
Lloyd 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Weathers 2 0 0 0 0 2 0.00