NEW YORK -- The Texas Rangers didn't play their best over a four-game series against the New York Yankees. The offense didn't execute in prime scoring opportunities, the pitching was inconsistent and the defense showed lapses.
It all showed up Thursday afternoon, too. But, in the end, the Rangers did enough for a 10-6 victory over the Yankees, avoiding a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium.
Texas jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run single by Adrian Beltre, and extended it to 4-0 with two more runs in the top of the sixth.
But that lead didn't stand.
Rangers starter Derek Holland, who allowed only a single over five scoreless innings, gave up an infield single to Ichiro Suzuki to start the sixth. Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher then had consecutive one-out RBI singles. After striking out Mark Teixeira, Holland served up a two-run home run to Andruw Jones.
It was the sixth consecutive start Holland has allowed a homer. The next batter, Casey McGehee, reached on a fly ball dropped by Mike Olt, making his first big league start in right field. That ended Holland's night, and New York took a 5-4 lead on an RBI single by Russell Martin off Texas reliever Tanner Scheppers.
The Rangers responded in the seventh. David Murphy had a one-out RBI double to tie the game, and the Rangers had runners at second and third with one out after that. However, it appeared Texas might not capitalize on another scoring opportunity, when Geovany Soto struck out.
The Yankees intentionally walked Mitch Moreland to get to Gentry, who came through with a clutch two-out, two-run single off Joba Chamberlain. Gentry had been 2 for his last 21 going into that at-bat.
The Yankees pulled to within 7-6 with a run in the seventh, but Michael Kirkman kept the lead in tact by getting a pair of fielder's choice groundouts and striking out Jones with runners at the corners.
The Rangers cushioned their lead to 9-6 in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Beltre and an RBI single by Soto. They added another run in the ninth.
-- Drew Davison
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