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Yankees-Rangers Preview

Jul 28, 2015 - 5:30 AM The New York Yankees have won five straight against left-handed starters and face another one Tuesday night in Martin Perez.

That should ensure that Alex Rodriguez will remain in the lineup based on the way he has been taking southpaws deep.

The 40-year-old Rodriguez has homered four times in his last two games as he faces Perez for the first time when the Yankees and Rangers continue a four-game series in Arlington.

New York (56-42) improved to 17-11 versus left-handed starters by defeating Matt Harrison in Monday's 6-2 victory. Didi Gregorius was 3 for 4 with a homer and a career-high four RBIs.

Gregorius is 11 for 31 with four homers and 11 RBIs against Texas.

"A guy that we've scuffled with getting out and we've got to find a way to pitch him differently," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.

Rodriguez also took Harrison deep as he returned to the lineup on his 40th birthday after sitting out Sunday's 7-2 win at Minnesota. He's the fourth player in major league history to homer both as a teenager and in his 40s.

''It's amazing, hitting one as a teenager and hitting one here today,'' Rodriguez said. ''A lot has happened, and I'm just happy to be here.''

Rodriguez homered three times in his previous game - all off left-handers.

Now he'll face Perez (0-1, 4.91 ERA), who makes his first home start and third since returning from Tommy John surgery as he searches for his first win since April 23, 2014. Perez was encouraged after surrendering four runs in six innings of Wednesday's 10-8 victory at Colorado.

"I made good pitches," Perez said. "They didn't hit the ball hard, just ground balls and pop-ups. That's part of the game."

Though Perez has never faced the Yankees, Chris Young is 3 for 6 against him. Young will likely start again thanks to a .362 average against lefties.

New York will decide whether Jacoby Ellsbury and Stephen Drew will return to the starting lineup after both began Monday on the bench. Ellsbury, who is 1 for 17 off lefties since the All-Star break, was out with a sore shoulder though he entered as a defensive replacement.

Since the Yankees do not have an off day on this 10-game trip and wanted to give extra rest to starters Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda, they needed a starter for this contest. Manager Joe Girardi will give journeyman Chris Capuano (0-4, 5.64) his first start since May 29.

Capuano went 0-3 with a 6.39 ERA in three May starts before moving to the bullpen, where he has a 5.09 ERA in 12 appearances. Prince Fielder is 4 for 11 with two homers off the left-hander while Adrian Beltre is 2 for 10.

Texas (47-51) has dropped consecutive games after a four-game win streak, falling for the 11th time in 12 home games. The Rangers have baseball's worst home mark at 16-27.

"I don't believe it's a mental thing, these guys are all professional players, they're going to show up in their own ballpark, in their own lockers, in their own uniforms, their home uniforms in front of their fans and come out and play," Banister said. "It's not anything other than that."

Fielder is batting .412 with five homers and 18 RBIs in a 12-game hitting streak against New York.