(SportsNetwork.com) - The Texas Rangers are set for a day game in the second test of a three-game series with the New York Yankees Saturday in the Bronx, hoping keep momentum from a Friday night win.
The Rangers send unbeaten Nick Martinez to the hill for the start, while New York counters with lefty veteran CC Sabathia, who is looking to improve on a slow start to the 2015 campaign.
Martinez, who played his college ball in the Bronx at Fordham, has performed admirably this season in his eight starts, although he's only picked up the three decisions. He enters Saturday's match with a 3-0 record and a 1.88 earned run average.
Martinez made his last start on Sunday against Cleveland, in which he lasted five innings and surrendered one run on five hits and struck out six. In the month of May, Martinez is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts. And in four road starts this season, he owns a 1-0 mark with a 1.52 ERA.
Last season the righty made two starts against the Yankees, which resulted in an 0-1 record with a 4.91 ERA.
Sabathia, who will turn 35 later this summer, is off to a rough start this season. In eight starts, he owns a 2-5 record with a 4.67 ERA. He's struck out 43 batters and issued just 10 walks, but is starting to turn things around if his last two outings are any indication.
After going 0-5 in his first six starts, Sabathia is 2-0 after his last two in which he went seven innings and allowed six hits apiece. He's coming off a 5-1 Yankees win on Saturday against Kansas City and gave up a single run and struck out five without allowing a walk.
Texas plated seven runs in the third inning to grab a 7-0 advantage Friday night, and despite a valiant comeback effort the Yankees weren't able to eclipse the hurdle in the 10-9 loss.
Prince Fielder was the star of the show for the Rangers, belting two home runs (his sixth and seventh of the year) in the third and seventh innings. Fielder finished the game with two hits in five plate appearances, adding four RBI and two runs scored.
Colby Lewis was credited with the win despite giving up five runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Michael Pineda was even worse for the Yankees, surrendering eight hits and seven runs (four earned) in six innings on the hill. He was hit with his second loss of the year.
Mark Teixeira entered Friday's game tied for third in the league with 12 home runs, and was able to create some separation by crushing his 13th shot in the ninth inning.
Tommy Field contributed two RBI for Texas with a two-run double in the eighth inning that kept his Rangers an arm's length ahead of New York down the stretch.
Texas now owns a 1-0 lead over the Yankees in head-to-head matchups this season.
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