Yankees Rout Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas — The New York Yankees were down five runs after the first inning Tuesday but it mattered little.
“We never gave up,” Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius. “That’s something you saw today.”
Buoyed by an 11-run second inning, the Yankees stormed back and pummeled the Texas Rangers 21-5 Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.
The American League East-lead Yankees (57-42) have won the first two games of the four-game series. They are 4-1 to start their 10-game road trip, having scored 42 runs during a four-game winning streak.
New York never scored 11 runs in the second inning before. The 21 runs were the Yankees’ highest total in a road game since a 22-1 rout at Boston in 2000. New York posted a 22-9 home win over the Oakland A’s in 2011.
“Strange,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I don’t know if I’ve been a part of that where you give up five in the first and you don’t give up another hit the rest of the game and you score 21 runs. I don’t know if I’ll ever see that again.”
Gregorius continued to carve up Texas pitching in the series with a career-high four hits to go along three RBIs and two runs. He is 7-for-9 in the two games with a home run and seven RBIs.
“I’m feeling good at the plate,” Gregorius said. “I’m trying to get good pitches, so that’s what I’m doing right now.”
New York right fielder Chris Young went 3-for-6 with a grand slam, two doubles and
career-high-tying five RBIs. Left fielder Brett Gardner (3-for-5) hit a two-run homer in the ninth and scored a career-best five runs.
New York racked up 19 hits, but perhaps more impressive was the outing of rookie reliever Diego Moreno. The 28-year-old right-hander, called up from the minors before the game, came on with two outs in the first inning and didn’t give up a hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his first major league win.
Moreno is the first Yankees reliever to put up those numbers and get a win since 1956.
Texas (47-52) lost for the 12th time in its past 13 games at Glove Life Park, falling to a major-league-worst 16-28 at home. The Rangers didn’t get a hit after the first inning.
Neither of the starters officially pitched more than an inning in a wild beginning that saw 21 runs scored in the first three innings.
Yankees starter Chris Capuano, making his first start since May, labored through 42 pitches and gave up five runs before getting yanked with two outs in the first. The Rangers needed just three hits to take advantage of three walks.
New York came all the way back and then some in the second against Texas starter Martin Perez (0-2). The first eight Yankees got aboard on seven hits and a hit batter, signaling the end for the Rangers lefty, who was charged with eight runs.
“They hit everything,” Perez said.
Mental errors in the field, including a potential double-play ball that second baseman Rougned Odor misplayed into a hit, helped doom Perez.
“More than anything else, the extended part of the inning came after we don’t make a play,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “By that time, the Yankees were pretty well locked in.
“I think three or four balls got through on the ground. Elevated baseballs get hit hard. You don’t feel like (Perez) was in the rhythm that makes him successful.”
New York second baseman Brendan Ryan ripped two doubles in the inning, driving in three runs. Gregorius smashed a bases-loaded triple. Third baseman Chase Headley had a pair of run-scoring singles.
By the time the Yankees were done, they had sent 15 to the plate and reached double digits on the scoreboard.
Former starter Wandy Rodriguez replaced Perez and didn’t fare much better. The left-handed veteran was knocked out in the third after giving up a grand slam to Young.
