Texas Rangers

Shoulder Problem

Seems that Guardado's shoulder is inflamed again, same thing he had earlier this season.

Why he didn't realize that during warmups, before he actually got to the mound, is a mystery. Maybe he thought he could just pitch through the pain.

Wright got the Rangers out of the eighth with a 1-2-3 inning. It'll be up to C.J. Wilson in the bottom of the ninth.

Go ahead, creep up to the edge of your seat and get a jump on your neighbors....start chewing your nails now.

NOT SO FAST, EDDIE

Hold that thought on Eddie Guardado.

Guardado threw a couple of warmup pitches, then everyone convened on the pitcher's mound, including manager Ron Washington and trainer Jamie Reed.

Guardado clearly has some sort of injury -- whether it's arm related or leg related we don't know yet -- and he's heading to the clubhouse.

Jamie Wright will replace Guardado and has as long as he needs to get warm. He'll be facing Yankees' pinch-hitter Johnny Damon to lead off the bottom of the eighth when he's ready.

NO LUCK

Young wound up stranded at third because the Rangers couldn't buy a break.

First, Hamilton lined out to short. Milton Bradley struck out for the fourth time. David Murphy was intentionally walked to bring up Marlon Byrd. Byrd lined a shot right into Alex Rodriguez's glove.

Eddie Guardado is on to try to protect the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth.

Ding Dong

Double Ouch.

Yankees' reliever Jose Veras just got scractched from Jose Molina's Christmas card list.

Veras obviously crossed Molina up on a pitch to Josh Hamilton in the eighth and zinged Molina straight in the cup without the ball even bouncing.

Molina collapsed, then scrambled to corral the ball as Michael Young, who had doubled, moved to third, then collapsed again after calling timeout.

The trainer attended to him but there's not much he could do. Looks like Molina is going to be OK, but he can't be feeling too well right now.

Hamilton lined to shortstop Derek Jeter with the Yanks' infield pulled in for the Rangers' first out.

THREE FOR GIAMBI

Jason Giambi's first triple in six years, since 2002, chased Scott Feldman with two outs in the sixth inning.

He leaves with a 2-1 lead and Frankie Francisco will try to hold it against Jorge Posada.

Giambi's three-bagger was driven deep to right center. It just ticked off the tip of Josh Hamilton's glove and Hamilton slammed into the fence and went sprawling on the warning track.

The ball bounced away from centerfielder Marlon Byrd and the slow-footed Giambi was able to "scamper" all the way to third. He was stranded there, though, when Francisco struck Posada out with a high fastball.

The other good news is that Hamilton appears injured from his fall on the track.

Mike Mussina is gone after six, replaced by reliever Edwar Ramirez.

Monster Mash

Ouch.

Alex Rodriguez just connected for a monster shot deep into Monument Park beyond the left center field fence and the 399-foot sign just in front of it.

It came with one out in the fourth and sliced the Rangers' lead in half to 2-1.

It was Rodriguez's 16th homer of the season and the 534th of his career, tying him with Jimmy Foxx for 14th on the all-time home run list.

I just hope nobody's placque was seriously dented.

The Kid Who Came to Stay

OK, it's just one man's opinion, but this Chris Davis doesn't look like he plans on going anywhere for, oh, the next 10 or 15 years.

Having homered in each of his first two Rangers' starts, Davis just stung Mussina for a run-scoring double to bump the Rangers' lead to 2-0.

Davis' line drive to right center perfectly split Yankees' centerfielder Melky Cabrera and rightfielder Bobby Abreu, easily scoring David Murphy, who had walked and moved to second on Marlon Byrd's groundout.

The Rangers have found their first baseman of today, tomorrow and the foreseeable future, whether they care to admit it or not.

Kinsler Sizzling

   Second baseman Ian Kinsler extended his current hitting streak to 13 games with a one-out double in the third inning off Yankees' starter Mike Mussina. He came in to score the first run of the game on Josh Hamilton's two-out single for his 80th RBI of the season.

   Mussina had been getting the benefit of the doubt on the inside of the plate. Plate umpire Dan Iassogna had rung up Chris Davis, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vasquez in succession on called strikes on or close to the inside corner before Kinsler's two-bagger broke the string.

   The Rangers lead, 1-0 after 2 1/2 innings and the Yanks don't have their first hit yet.

Monday Lineup

Here's Ron Washington's starting lineup for Game 1 of the Rangers-Yankees series at Yankee Stadium:

Ian Kinsler, 2B

Michael Young, SS

Josh Hamilton, RF

Milton Bradley, DH

David Murphy, LF

Marlon Byrd, CF

Chris Davis, 1B

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

Ramon Vasquez, 3B

Scott Feldman, SP

   Hamilton, Byrd, Davis and Saltalamacchia are playing in their first-ever games at Yankee Stadium.

Gabbard out until after break

Rangers left-hander Kason Gabbard had an MRI on his ailing left elbow Monday. Gabbard received a cortisone shot Monday and will be on a throwing program until after the All-Star break. Luis Mendoza has taken the rotation spot of Gabbard, who was 2-3.

- Anthony Andro