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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- An ace in the October chill, Orlando Hernandez overcame the April cool.
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Hernandez shut down Texas on three singles for eight innings and Jorge Posada hit a tiebreaking triple with the bases loaded, leading the New York Yankees past the Rangers 5-1 on Thursday night.
The Yankees, who have won nine straight playoff games against
Texas on their way to three World Series titles since 1996,
completed a two-game sweep.
It was 44 degrees at the start, and players on both teams spent
the evening blowing on their hands to keep warm.
"The cold bothered me a lot," Hernandez said through an interpreter. "I think it was colder than the World Series."
Of course, nothing seems to disturb El Duque then. He's 5-0 with
a 1.02 ERA in six postseason starts, including an 8-0 win over the
Rangers in Game 1 of the AL division series last year.
"This was not an easy night to pitch, to stay loose and get a
feel for the ball," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "Normally,
you'd think the hot-weather pitchers, and players, from Cuba,
wouldn't do well in the cold weather. He's remarkable, he really
is."
Told that Torre was amazed by his performance, Hernandez simply
said, "So am I."
New York made it a rough homecoming for Kenny Rogers, who gave
up eight hits in Texas' first complete game this year. Back at
Yankee Stadium for the first time since pitching in pinstripes in
1997, he walked two in the sixth to set up Posada's hit.
"I really felt I could hold them a little bit, but I made one
bad pitch to Jorge," Rogers said. "Other than that, I really felt
I did what I wanted to do. But I gave up that four-spot."
Hernandez (2-0) gave up a single to Royce Clayton to start the
game, a single by David Segui in the second, a single to Rafael
Palmeiro in the sixth and little else. Two Rangers reached on
errors, and a two-out misplay set up their run.
Hernandez struck out four, walked two and lowered his ERA to
1.13 after three starts this season.
"He really has good command of all his pitches, so you have to
keep all of his pitches in your mind all the time," said Gabe
Kapler, who went 0-for-3 against Hernandez. "That's what makes him
so tough."
Mike Stanton pitched the ninth for the Yankees, finishing the combined four-hitter.
Paul O'Neill, who batted just .190 against left-handers last season, had three hits off Rogers (1-2).
O'Neill also showed off some nifty footwork, stopping short on a
steal attempt and sneaking his cleat around second baseman Luis
Alicea's swipe tag. Bernie Williams followed with an RBI single for
a 1-0 lead in the first.
While Hernandez was retiring 11 straight batters, Rogers stayed out of trouble until the sixth.
O'Neill led off with a single, Williams walked and they moved up
on pinch-hitter Jim Leyritz's grounder. Rogers pitched around Roberto Kelly and walked him, and Posada then hit a line drive beyond the reach of center fielder Ruben Mateo for a 4-1 lead.
"I was trying to get a pitch to drive for a fly ball," Posada said.
With the infield playing in, Shane Spencer singled up the middle for a 5-1 lead.
An error by third baseman Alfonso Soriano scored Texas' run in the second.
Game notes
Yankees 1B Tino Martinez exited in the sixth with small
abrasions in his left eye, caused by flying dirt during batting
practice. He's expected to be OK for Friday night's game. ... The
Yankees placed LHP Andy Pettitte on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 8, because of a strained muscle on the left side of his back. RHP Darrell Einertson was promoted from Triple-A Columbus for his
first stint in the majors. ... Texas LF Rusty Greer was a late scratch because of tightness in his left hamstring. ... Rangers 2B
Frank Catalanotto, who left Wednesday's game with a strained left hamstring, did not start and is day-to-day. ... Rogers was 18-15
for the Yankees in 1996-97. ... Cuban defector Adrian Hernandez,
who said last week he signed a four-year contract with the Yankees,
pitched a simulated game at the Yankees' minor league camp in
Tampa, Fla. ... New York moved into sole possession of first place
in the AL East. ... The Yankees did not homer for the first time
this season. They were the last AL team to be held without one. ...
Crew chief Jerry Crawford, a longtime NL umpire, is looking forward
to his next assignment -- a weekend series in Boston between the Red
Sox and Oakland. "It'll be my first trip to Fenway Park," he said.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
NY Yankees Clubhouse
RECAPS
Tampa Bay 6
Chi. White Sox 5
Kansas City 6
Baltimore 5
Boston 4
Minnesota 3
Detroit 2
Seattle 0
NY Yankees 5
Texas 1
Chicago Cubs 3
Atlanta 2
Arizona 5
San Diego 4
Milwaukee 4
Florida 0
NY Mets 2
Philadelphia 1
Pittsburgh 4
Montreal 3
Los Angeles 6
San Francisco 5
Los Angeles 11
San Francisco 7
(2nd game)
Colorado 12
St. Louis 6
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