| | NEW YORK -- At least the Texas Rangers scored a run. They
just couldn't get a clutch hit.
After going 25 playoff innings without scoring, Texas broke
through with one run Thursday night against the New York Yankees.
It wasn't enough, and the Rangers lost their eighth straight
postseason game -- all to New York -- 3-1, and fell behind two games
to none in their best-of-5 series.
"We certainly had our opportunities," Texas manager Johnny
Oates said. "We got some hits early. We just weren't able to back
it up. We couldn't bunch any hits together."
Juan Gonzalez, who terrorized the Yankees in the 1996 AL
playoffs before going 1-for-12 last year, provided the Rangers'
offense by lining a homer to left field in the fourth inning off
Andy Pettitte.
Gonzalez, who has scored Texas' last three runs in the
postseason, was greeted as he returned to the dugout by a
celebration unusually large for a single run in the fourth.
Then again, there hasn't been much to celebrate for the Rangers,
who hadn't scored in the playoffs since the fifth inning of Game 2
last year and hadn't held a lead for 43 straight innings in the
postseason.
That would be the only run for Texas against Pettitte and two
relievers.
The Rangers, who have averaged 5.8 runs a game while leading the
majors in batting the last two regular seasons, have been held to
two runs and a .144 average (22-for-153) in their last five playoff
games against the Yankees, who swept them 3-0 in the first round
last year.
Texas at least threatened this time, getting seven hits. But
Pettitte, who pitches his toughest in the stickiest situations of
the postseason, was equal to the task.
He allowed no hits in five at-bats with runners in scoring
position, leaving Texas 1-for-24 in those situations the last two
years.
"It gets a little mental at times," New York's Tino Martinez
said. "Hopefully we can keep them down for one more game."
Rafael Palmeiro and Todd Zeile hit consecutive singles to open
the second inning. Pettitte got Roberto Kelly to swing through a
cut fastball for the first out.
Kelly walked back to the dugout with his head down -- an act that
would be repeated by Rangers hitters all night long.
Texas had a chance to break open a 1-0 game in the fifth, but
once again couldn't get a clutch hit.
"That was certainly a key inning in the ball game," Oates
said. "That was the best opportunity for a big inning.
Unfortunately we weren't able to capitalize."
With no outs and runners on second and third, the infield in and
action in the Yankees' bullpen, Pettitte fell behind Mark McLemore
3-0 before throwing three straight strikes for the first out.
"I didn't get it done," McLemore said. "It was key. It hurt.
We have to score some runs that's the bottom line."
Torre then moved the infield back, conceding a run on a grounder
up the middle. Royce Clayton, however, hit a two-hopper to Scott
Brosius at third, who held the runner and threw to first for the
second out.
The Rangers still had one more chance. But Rusty Greer swung at
a 3-2 curveball in the dirt, ending the inning with Gonzalez on
deck instead of at the plate with the bases loaded.
"We had a chance to put some runs on the board there and we
didn't do it," Greer said. "He made me fish for a ball in the
dirt. That's why he's a good pitcher."
Pettitte pumped his fist twice. Greer merely walked back to
dugout and neatly put away his batting helmet.
Texas still held the lead. That would change soon enough, but
the Rangers' playoff fortunes wouldn't.
| |
ALSO SEE
Rangers vs. Yankees series page
Pettitte handcuffs Rangers in 3-1 victory
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