Yanks tag Holland, take game one of three game set

Behind an eight inning effort from that included eight strikeouts and just one walk, the Yankees spoiled a second (though more subdued) celebration in three games. After ruining Fenway Park’s 100th birthday party last Friday, the Yanks came away from ‘s retirement announcement with a victory.

They got started early, thanks to a leadoff infield single by . After was retired, singled and walked. struck out, but with two outs, fisted a ball into right center and the Yankees had a two run lead. The high-powered Texas offense looked poised to take the runs back, with two straight singles to start its half of the first. Sabathia recovered, though, inducing a 3-6-3 rundown DP that allowed a run to score. That was the only run the Rangers would get off of Sabathia until the 6th, when hit his AL leading eighth home run of the season. By that point, though, the Yankees had roughed up Rangers’ starter for 7 runs, three of them coming off of a home run to left-center by A-Rod, his first hit against a lefty all year. Excellent timing, Alex.

The Rangers pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh when Nelson Cruz led off with a walk, Sabathia’s first and only walk of the game. Later in the inning, doubled on a grounder down the third base line that was just out of the reach of ARod’s glove, moving Cruz to third. then hit a ball between the first base bag and Mark Teixeira. Tex gave it a dive, but the ball hopped over his glove and into right field for a two run double. Sabathia finished off the inning and came back for the eighth, getting a 1-2-3 inning on three ground balls, the first of which came off of Josh Hamilton’s broken bat. did his thing in the 9th, though Cruz gave the first ball-in-play of the inning a ride, hitting it to the warning track in right field. The next two outs–a fly ball to center field by and a ground ball to Teixeira by pinch-hitter –were not nearly as well struck.

NOTES:

–This was the Yankees’ fourth straight win, matching their longest win streak of the early season.

–Derek Jeter, who came into the game with a .597 wOBA and 281 wRC+ vs lefties, recorded four more hits, giving him 30 on the year, which lead the AL.

–Josh Hamilton made the same great play twice today. In the second, Nick Swisher tagged one over Hamilton’s head in left and he made the play just before hitting the wall. He did the same in the fifth.

–The Texas bullpen pitched three perfect innings while striking out five New York batters.

–Nick Swisher, Mark Teixeira, , and Eduardo Nunez combined to go 0-17 with three strikeout. Swisher had a sac fly in the fifth andt hat RBI gave him 21 RBIs, which leads the American League.

–Coming into tonight, Derek Holland had allowed 7 runs and 18 baserunners in his 20.1 innings. In six innings tonight, Holland gave up 7 runs and allowed 14 baserunners.

–With the home run and two walks against a lefty tonight, A-Rod’s line against LHP this year is now .056/.208/.222 (1 H, 5 BB in 18 AB/24 PA)