Cliff Lee (above) came back and looked like the Lee of old, pitching into the ninth inning and taking the pressure off a fatigued bullpen. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)For the first time since 1996, the Texas Rangers (80-63) have swept a home series against the New York Yankees (87-56).
This game was more conventional than the previous two, however, as the Rangers used an excellent start from returning Ace Cliff Lee (W, 11-8) en route to a 4-1 victory.
"He comes after us like he always does," said New York Yankees' catcher Jorge Posada, who went 0 for 3. "He's a good pitcher who comes after you and puts the ball where he wants to."
Lee had a no-hitter into the sixth inning, retiring 15 straight batters at one point, and gave the Rangers eight innings of one run, two hit baseball.
Pitching into the ninth was huge after the Rangers had used 18 pitchers, throwing a total of 455 pitches, over the previous two games. Lee threw 109 pitches and allowed the least hits he's has allowed all-season long.
"Every time he gets the ball, he doesn't expect to be anything less than that, and we don't really expect it out of him," said Ian Kinsler, who walked twice and scored a run. "It's just nice having him back on the field and healthy."
Lee did walk a season-high three batters, striking out five, and left the field furious after a called fourth ball against Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter, whom he had trouble with all-game long. Jeter accounted for two of Lee's three walks, half of his hits and the lone run for the Yankees.
Jeter smashed an RBI double to right field in the sixth, knocking in Yankees' third-baseman Eduardo Nunez, who belted a single to center for New York's first hit of the ballgame. Lee followed by retiring six straight, then fumed after being pulled to start the ninth following a 3-2 pitch that home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez called a ball that walked Jeter.
Rangers' closer Neftali Feliz came into the game for Lee and promptly struck out the side on 16 pitches for his 36th save of the season and a fifth-straight win for the club. Lee simmered down after the save and reflected on the Rangers recent winning ways.
"Hopefully we can keep this momentum," said Lee, who won his first start since Aug. 8.
Offensively, Texas used small-ball to score all four runs in the game. Elvis Andrus led off the sixth with a walk, then stole second base to put a runner in scoring position with no outs in the inning. After a Michael Young deep fly-out to right that allowed Andrus to tag and move to third, David Murphy chopped a ball to the first baseman and Andrus took off towards home plate. The Rangers' shortstop used his speed to reach home ahead of the throw, just sliding under the tag of Posada.
Julio Borbon continued the small-ball approach the very next inning, knocking in Ian Kinsler (who had tagged twice after consecutive fly-outs) on a drag bunt up the first-base line. Borbon slid head-first into first base, just ahead of Yankees' starter Dustin Moseley (L, 4-3) for the go-ahead run. The Rangers' center fielder wasn't finished wreaking havoc on the base pads, Borbon stole second and subsequently scored on an Andrus single to center.
"I knew I had a pretty good chance of seeing something offspeed, which is a really good pitch to bunt and bring with you," said Borbon, who leads the Rangers with ... RBI in September.
Texas scored three runs total in the seventh, accumulating four straight singles with two outs in the inning.
It was a much more orthodox win for the Rangers after a couple of wild ones that lasted late into Saturday and Sunday morning. A three-game sweep against the Yankees not only increases the chances of the Rangers making the playoffs, but further muddles the American League East divisional race. New York is only a half of a game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for first in the division, while Texas is 8.5 ahead of the Oakland A's with a magic number of 12 with 19 games left.
The Rangers now have a day off to check their respective fantasy football teams, and prepare for the Detroit Tigers who come to town for a short, two game set starting Tuesday night. The series is the last for the Rangers outside of the A.L. West this season.
News and Notes:
- Texas finishes the season 4-4 against the Yankees.
(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)
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