Yankees-Rangers: New York Split Series With Texas, Inch Closer in AL East

I am sure it's going to feel like a trip to Alaska when the Yankees pack their bags and fly west to Los Angeles. 

After a four-game set in a tough series against the Texas Rangers, the Yankees escape a two-game deficit and win two straight to salvage the series.

All four games were played in at least 100-degree weather, even though they were night games. 

All players seemed to be sweating it out, except for Mike Mussina, who kept it cool Thursday night to get his 15th win of the year.

Mussina went seven strong, giving up eight hits along with six strikeouts and only walking one. He got out of a few jams thanks to some base-running mistakes by the Rangers and key double-play balls from the bats of Laird and Young.

Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte combined for three outs to close the door in a scoreless eight and sent the game to the ninth for Mariano Rivera.

The Yankees tacked on an extra insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Jeter.

Mariano Rivera pitched three up, three down to remain a perfect 28 for 28 on the season in save situations. He struck out Brandon Boggs—looking—as he has done so many times, to end the game in fashion.

Derek Jeter hit a solo home run in the first inning to deep, left center and it was a no doubter, his seventh of the year.

Johnny Damon, who started in center field, added an RBI single that scored Betemit in the fifth to make it 2-0.

The Yankees won the game 3-0 and won two straight against Texas after dropping the first two games in the Ballpark in Arlington. They now move 11 games above the .500 mark at 63-52.

The AL East leading Rays dropped their game to the Seattle Mariners in a tight 2-1 game when the red hot Raul Ibanez hit a walk-off shot off of Dan Wheeler in the ninth.

The Yankees inch closer in the AL East, just five-and-a-half games back from the Rays.  They also gained a half game on the Red Sox, who were off tonight and are three games ahead of the Yanks.

Alex Rodriguez returned to Texas, where he played three seasons of stellar baseball, but he clearly wasn't himself the entire series.

He went hitless, 0-14 with four strikeouts. He flashed some nice leather here and there but didn't do anything at the plate, hardly getting the ball into the outfield.

He just missed a few pitches that he could of launched for home runs, so he is bound to break out of this slump.

The Yankees now travel to California to face the team with the best record in baseball, the Los Angeles Angels (71-43). 

The Yankees split a recent four-game series against them last weekend in the Bronx.  The same as the Texas series, the Yankees lost the first two but came back strong to win the last two.

With the recent injury to Joba Chamberlain, who is on the 15-day DL, the Yankees will send Ian Kennedy (0-3, 7.41) to the mound on Friday. 

After being winless at the beginning of the season, Kennedy has pitched well in AAA ball, going 4-2 with a 2.14 ERA. He will be tested quickly by a power-hitting Angels ballclub.

Kennedy will square off against right-hander Jered Weaver (9-9, 4.37). Weaver is 2-1 with a 5.63 career ERA against the Yankees. He suffered his first loss just last Saturday when he faced the Yankees in the Bronx. He missed a lot of pitches, and the Yankees made him pay for it.

The Yankees offense will need to strike early against the Angels to stay in the ballgame. It should be a good series, nonetheless, and I will be happy if they win two out of three.