Texas Trounce 'Em

The Bombers are on the brink of elimination. The defending world champion Yankees find themselves in grim position after losing game four of the ALCS to the Rangers last night at the stadium in the Bronx. The Yankees lost 10-3 and now face a must-win situation for the rest of the series. Texas grabbed a 3-1 lead in the seven game set and has the added advantage of throwing Cliff Lee should there be a game seven in Arlington. The Bombers, meanwhile, are just hoping the series goes back to Texas. Not only was New York defeated for the third straight game and second at home, but they also lost All-Star first baseman, Mark Teixeira for the remainder of the playoffs. The powerful switch-hitting slugger suffered a strained hamstring in the fifth inning on Tuesday.
Notoriously shaky starter, A.J. Burnett, turned in a decent performance for the pinstripes through six innings. He retired the first six batters he faced and looked sharp going perfect through two innings. Burnett was pitching on 17 days’ rest but held the Texas offense in check through the initial frames. The Yankees didn’t exactly help their struggling starter by lighting up the scoreboard. New York managed a measly three runs on seven hits against Texas pitching. Robinson Cano, seemingly the only Bomber who can actually blast bombs, belted a solo homerun in the second innings off Tommy Hunter. The Rangers got the run back in the top of the third, and tacked on another tally off the wild Burnett. Burnett’s wild pitch was followed by a hit batter to put runners at first and second for Elvis Andrus. The leadoff shortstop’s stroked an RBI grounder to first to tie the game. Michael Young’s infield single made it 2-1 Texas.
The Yankees got one run lead back in the bottom of the third. Curtis Granderson knocked in a run with a two-out single off Hunter. Brett Gardner’s grounder scored Alex Rodriguez to give the home team a 3-2 advantage in the fourth. Burnett preserved the lead in the fourth escaped a fifth frame jam before allowing the Rangers to take the lead for good on Molina’s sixth inning homerun. Texas’s three spot was followed by an annihilation of the Bombers’ bullpen the rest of the contest. The Rangers tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh on MVP-candidate, Josh Hamilton’s long ball. Hamilton homered off Boone Logan for a 6-3 Texas lead. Yankee reliever, Joba Chamberlain yielded a Vlad Guerrero double and walked Nelson Cruz on four pitches before Ian Kinsler’s RBI base hit.
Derek Holland gave Texas 3 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win. In the ninth, the Rangers continued to feast off the Yankee bullpen to win in convincing fashion. Hamilton hammered his second homerun off Sergio Mitre to lead off the frame. Cruz added a solo shot after driving a 0-2 offering from the 29 year old reliever. Former Bomber, Darren Oliver, closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth for visiting Texas. Oliver had little trouble in retiring the Yankees in order to wrap up the victory. The Yankees’ chances of winning three consecutive decisions is slight. They will have to do so without their first baseman. Eduardo Nunez is expected to replace Teixeira. Game five is today at 4pm. Yankee ace, C.C. Sabathia opposes Texas’ C.J. Wilson in a rematch of game one. If the wildcard-winning Yanks are going to return to the Fall Classic, they’ll have to do it on the road in seven games.

Parting Points: Will Melo be traded?

Lance Berkman is playing first base this afternoon for the Yanks.