Bronx, NY – Adrian Beltre and Craig Gentry both knocked in three runs, helping the Texas Rangers hold off the New York Yankees, 10-6, in the finale of a four-game series.
David Murphy went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored for the Rangers, who snapped an eight-game skid at Yankee Stadium. Geovany Soto and Elvis Andrus added an RBI apiece.
"We obviously had a never say die attitude today, and that's easier said than done," Murphy said. "It seemed like we were very determined, regardless of if we were up or down, to continue to put runs on the board and we were able to pull it out."
Texas starter Derek Holland gave up five runs -- four earned -- on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. Tanner Scheppers (1-0) recorded the final out in the sixth to pick up his first win the majors.
Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who were trying to complete their first four-game sweep against Texas since 2005. Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Mark Teixeira had an RBI apiece.
"We played pretty good baseball (this series), we pitched, for the most part, pretty well, we swung the bats pretty well," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "You can't rest on what has happened the last four day, you have to keep plugging along here. We're still in a race, we're in a race for our division, we're in a race for the best record, so I do like the way we've played."
Ivan Nova started for New York and allowed four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. Boone Logan (4-1) was charged with two run on two hits to take the loss.
"I was looking forward to having a better (start) today, unfortunately I didn't," Nova said. "We have a month and a half left. We have to do everything possible to finish strong."
The AL West-leading Rangers put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning. Michael Young reached base on an infield single and Josh Hamilton followed with a double to left. Beltre stepped to the plate with one out and cleared the bases with a single to left-center field.
The visitors pushed two more runs across in the sixth. Hamilton led off the frame with a deep fly ball to left-center field. Jones, who was in position to make the catch, lost the ball in the sun. After Beltre was hit by a pitch, Murphy hit an RBI single to center. Two batters later, Mitch Moreland was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Gentry grounded into a fielder's choice to plate another run, making it a 4-0 game.
But the AL East-leading Yankees responded with five runs in the bottom half to take the lead. Ichiro Suzuki reached base on an infield single, moved to second on Chris Stewart's groundout and raced home on Jeter's single to right-center field. Jeter went to second on the throw home and scored on Swisher's single to left-center field. After Jones hit a two-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole, Casey McGehee hit a fly ball to right that was dropped by Mike Olt. Martin added an RBI single off Scheppers to make it 5-4.
The Rangers quickly answered with three runs during their next at-bat to go back in front. Young led off with a base hit, moved to second on Beltre's single and scored on Murphy's double down the right-field line. Joba Chamberlain intentionally walked Moreland to load the bases. Gentry's two-run single up the middle gave Texas a 7-5 edge.
New York, though, kept it close by scoring a run in the home half. With the bases loaded and one out, Teixeira beat out a double play at first to plate a run.
The Rangers continued the back-and-forth battle in the eighth. Andrus doubled down the right-field line, moved to third on Swisher's fielding error and scored on Beltre's sacrifice fly. Murphy and Soto followed with consecutive singles to plate another run, making it 9-6.
Andrus' RBI single in the ninth accounted for the final margin.
"This shows the character of this team, we just keep battling, and no matter what the game is not over until it is over," Gentry said. "We just kept plugging away, and kept punching and we were able to get a great team win."
Game Notes
The Yankees went 4-3 against the Rangers this season ... New York was trying for its ninth series sweep of the season ... Suzuki went 3-for-3 for the Yankees, who hit 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven ... Scheppers was charged with one run on two hits ... Texas had 16 hits, compared to 10 for New York.
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