NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even without injured captain Derek Jeter the New York Yankees were too good for Texas on Tuesday, hammering previously unbeaten pitcher Alexi Ogando in a 12-4 rout of the Rangers.
The Yankees, who placed Jeter on the 15-day disabled list after the shortstop strained his right calf a day earlier, burst out of the blocks with six runs in the second inning to chase Ogando from the game.
Jeter made his presence felt on the bench by giving advice to his replacement, Eduardo Nunez, who finished with two hits and an RBI in the second.
"He told me what kind of pitch (Ogando) had and he told me to wait for a fastball," Nunez told reporters. "(When I got the hit) Jeter said, 'Man, I told you.'"
Curtis Granderson hit a two-run single during the second-inning onslaught, and added a two-run home run in the sixth where the Yankees scored three times.
Ogando had won his first seven decisions of the season, but the right-hander never made it out of the second inning.
"I just didn't feel very well," Ogando said. "I was not making my pitches and locating. They hit me hard. That's pretty much it."
New York (37-28) starter CC Sabathia pitched seven innings and allowed four runs to improve to 8-4 this season.
Michael Young had a two-RBI single in the fourth for the Rangers and the visitors added two runs in the fifth.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Greg Stutchbury)
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