Yankees game 99: The Chase is on in the Bronx

Texas Rangers 1 -- New York Yankees 2 (14 innings)

In a marathon affair, the Yankees would need to comeback once to celebrate a newcomer's debut in pinstripes.

For the Yankees, Chase Whitley got the start. His start was a bend-not-break, type of start. In five of the six plus innings that Whitley started, he allowed the lead off batter to reach base. In all but one of the six plus innings, Whitley allowed a batter to reach base. In the fifth inning, catcher Robinson Chirinos hit a double and with two outs, designated hitter Daniel Robertson hit a single that got past second base but Brian Roberts kept his head in the play and threw Chirinos out between third and home, keeping the game scoreless.

Somehow, Chase Whitley would leave the game without a run on his pitching line. In six plus innings, Chase Whitley allowed no runs on six hits while walking none and striking out six. He threw 75 pitches.

The Yankees offense faced Nick Martinez and the one major scoring threat against the Rangers' starter came in the first inning as Brett Gardner started the game with a single but was quickly erased on a double play by Derek Jeter.

In 5.1 innings, Nick Martinez allowed no runs on three hits while walking one and striking out three. The starting pitchers did their job and for the most part, their bullpens would too.

In the ninth inning against lefty reliever Neal Cotts, Derek Jeter would pull his hands in and turn an inside pitch to the left field corner for a one-out double. This double would be historic. It was the 535th double in the career of Derek Jeter, breaking a tie atop the Yankees franchise records for doubles with Lou Gehrig. Congratulations to The Captain.

Despite having a lefty on the mound, the Rangers would intentionally walk the left-handed Jacoby Ellsbury to pitch to the switch-hitting Carlos Beltran. The move would pay off perfectly as Beltran hit into a double play to end the ninth inning.

Free baseball would ensue.

In the 11th inning against righty Roman Mendez, Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter would both be walked but lefty Ryan Feierabend would end the inning with a harmless ground out to second. The Yankees would have a huge scoring opportunity in the 12th inning. Feierabend would give up a pair of singles to Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann. Replacing right fielder (yes, right field) Kelly Johnson was Ichiro Suzuki, who sacrificed the two runners over to put two in scoring position. Brian Roberts would be intentionally walked to load the bases and setup a force at every base. Scott Baker would get the call to face Francisco Cervelli. The Yankees catcher would get ahead into a hitter's count before he hit a rocket to third base where Adrian Beltre would snatch victory out of the air when he caught the line drive by Cervelli. Recently arrived, Chase Headley would harmlessly ground out to second base to end an easy scoring situation.

What happens when you waste a scoring opportunity in your inning? The opponent scores in the next.

After a perfect 12th inning by David Huff, the Yankees lefty would give up the first run of the game. First baseman J.P. Arencibia would hit a solo home run into the visitor's bullpen in left center field. Huff would give up a pair of singles but kept the damage to just one.

Three outs to go and the Yankees, held to six hits over 12 innings, needed to overcome the Rangers closer to keep the game going at least.

In the 13th inning, closer Joakim Soria had to get through the top of the Yankees order. Brett Gardner would pull a line drive into right field for a double. Derek Jeter would move the tying run to third on a sacrifice bunt and Jacoby Ellsbury would jump on the first pitch from Soria and put it in right field to tie the game again at one. Carlos Beltran would hit another single and passed the baton to Brian McCann. Brian McCann would hit a line drive to first base where Arencibia caught a short hop and turned a 3-6-4 double play to extend the game again.

After seven other pitchers, Jeff Francis would make his Yankees debut in the 14th inning. He would give up a single but kept the game tied at one. Your browser does not support iframes. In the bottom of the 14th inning, starter Nick Tepesch was called upon. After a one-out, ground-rule double by Brian Roberts, Francisco Cervelli would hit a single to right field that put runners on the corners for Chase Headley.

As if the baseball gods wrote a story fit for writers, the player that began his day in Chicago as a San Diego Padre, arrived at the second inning as a New York Yankee, would walk off. After three failed opportunities to make his Yankees moment, he succeeded in the fourth, with a single to left center field and the Yankees were going home winners.

Seven pitchers combined for eight innings of one-run baseball out of the Yankees bullpen. Chase Whitley gave the Yankees an outstanding start of six shutout innings and the other Chase of the Yankees, Chase Headley ended the night with a good impression on his new teammates.

Win - Jeff Francis (1-2)

Loss - Nick Tepesch (3-6)

Notables

Rangers

*J.P. Arencibia - 1 for 6, R, Solo Home Run (3) in the 13th, RBI (10)

*Robinson Chirinos - 1 for 5, 2B

Yankees

*Chase Headley - 1 for 4, RBI (33)

*Jacoby Ellsbury - 2 for 5, BB, RBI (47)

Current Yankees Record: 51-48