Rangers Lose In 14
{fshare id=5372}
NEW YORK — Chase Headley introduced himself to his new teammates in the second inning Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium after successfully making it through rush hour traffic in New York.
Four-and-a-half hours later, Headley was getting mobbed by the rest of the New York Yankees for getting the game-winning single with one out in the bottom of the 14th inning of a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.
With runners at first and third in the 14th, Headley singled into left field against Nick Tepesch (3-6). Yankees second baseman Brian Roberts easily scored, ending the 4-hour, 51-minute marathon and New York’s third walk-off win of the season.
It was Headley’s fourth career walk-off hit and first since a 10th-inning home run against Pittsburgh on Aug. 21, 2012. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the switch-hitting third baseman also was the first Yankee to get a walk-off hit in his debut with the team since Roy Weatherley on April 22, 1943, against the Washington Senators.
“There’s a lot of nerves there,” Headley said. “I kind of stepped out of the box and just thought to myself ‘why not, why wouldn’t this day go this way. What a great way to start. I was excited, I was able to enjoy it.”
“It’s a huge hit for us,” New York manager Joe Girardi said.
Headley found out about being traded from the San Diego Padres when he got a phone
call from the Yankees at about 11:30 Central Time.
“I wasn’t expecting to play,” Headley said. “I got to get used to this American League thing. In the National League there are no days off even if you don’t start, you have to be ready to go. I got hot about six or seven times down there (in the batting cage). I wasn’t expecting to play but I had the opportunity to contribute I wanted to.”
“I’m sure it feels good to get that Gatorade shower,” New York reliever Jeff Francis said. “To have everybody high-fiving him and to come into a team and contribute right away, it’s great.”
Headley’s first three at-bats could have potentially given the Yankees the victory.
He entered with the bases empty and two outs in the eighth as a pinch hitter for rookie Zelous Wheeler and struck out against Shawn Tolleson. In the 11th, he grounded out to first base against Roman Mendez and in the 12th against left-hander Scott Baker, Headley left the bases loaded by grounding out to second base.
The Yankees won for the 10th time in 16 games and did so after wasting chances in the ninth, 11th and 12th.
They also overcame first baseman J.P Arencibia’s leadoff home run in the 13th by getting a game-tying single against Texas closer Joakim Soria from center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
That came three innings before catcher Francisco Cervelli hit a hard liner to third baseman Adrian Beltre for the second out of the 12th preceding Headley’s third at-bat.
Francis (1-1) pitched a perfect 14th in his Yankees debut. Seven New York relievers combined to allow a run in eight innings after starter Chase Whitley gave up seven hits in six-plus scoreless innings and the Yankees improved to 29-18 in games started by rookies.
Texas starter Nick Martinez threw 5 1/3 shutout innings and six relievers combined on 6 2/3 scoreless innings before Soria blew his second save.
“We didn’t give in,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We didn’t give up. They won the ballgame. We could have very easily won it too but they had the last at-bat and they put something together and they won.”
The Rangers lost for the 11th time in 13 games and fell to 6-24 in their last 30 games. They had the leadoff man in five innings before Arencibia’s home run, went 0-for-15 after getting the leadoff man on while stranding eight.
“That was painful, especially when you play forever,” Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus said. “We got that game a couple of times but they were like us. They didn’t give up until the last second.”
