New York @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2010 ) NY Yankees 3, Texas 4
Just over a month ago, the New York Yankees hatched a plan that they hoped would pave the way to a second straight World Series title.
It involved the acquisition of left-hander Cliff Lee in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, giving New York a potentially lethal starting rotation for the stretch run and the playoffs.
But just as the Yankees appeared poised to consummate the deal, the Texas Rangers swooped in with a better offer to snag Lee from Seattle.
Now, the Rangers hope to show the Yankees what they missed - and what they could be missing - when Lee takes the mound Wednesday night against New York in the second of a two-game series.
Texas pulled out Tuesday’s series opener in dramatic fashion when David Murphy delivered a bases-loaded single off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 4-3 win.
Murphy also had a two-run homer for Texas, which holds an 8 1/2-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West.
The Yankees dropped their second straight game and saw their lead in the AL East whittled to a half-game over Tampa Bay.
Lee (10-5), who is firmly entrenched at the top of the Rangers' rotation, will look to give the Rangers a sweep tonight in what could be a playoff preview.
The American League leader in complete games (7) and ERA (2.44), Lee has had his way with the Yankees over the past three years.
In his last six starts against New York, Lee has posted a 5-1 mark, including two victories for Philadelphia in the World Series last year.
Although Lee is just 2-2 in six starts with Texas, he has thrown three complete games and gone at least eight innings in the other three outings.
In fact, he has pitched a minimum of eight innings in 10 consecutive starts – the longest such streak in baseball since Toronto’s Pat Hentgen had a 12-game stretch in 1996.
Lee is coming off a strong outing against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, allowing one run on seven hits in eight innings. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter for the 12th time this season.
That continued a staggering trend of strikeouts to walks this season for Lee. He has fanned 126 and issued just nine free passes in 155 innings.
Lee won’t have to face Yankees switch-hitter Mark Teixeira, who remained home to be with his wife for the birth of the couple’s third child Tuesday. Teixeira is batting .370 lifetime (10-for-27) with a homer, five doubles and six RBIs against Lee.
Alex Rodriguez hit a solo homer – No. 601 of his career – and Nick Swisher and Francisco Cervilli had RBI singles for New York in Tuesday’s loss.
Javier Vazquez (9-8) gets the start tonight for the Yankees. He was saddled with the loss against the Red Sox on Friday night, surrendering three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Vazquez is 2-2 lifetime with a 5.74 ERA in five career starts vs. Texas.