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Ponson returns to Texas, helps Yankees top Rangers

Aug 7, 2008 - 4:55 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- He downplayed the significance, but for Sidney Ponson, the return to Texas had to be very satisfying.

After being given his unceremonial release by the Texas Rangers earlier in the season, Ponson came back and led the New York Yankees to a 5-3 victory over his former club on Wednesday night.

With the triumph, the Yankees - who had lost two in a row and seven of their previous 10 - snapped the Rangers' three-game winning streak.

Ponson (7-2), who was 4-1 with a 3.88 ERA in nine starts for the Rangers before being released in June, gave up three runs and six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

After several supposed confrontations with manager Ron Washington and a poor performance against Tampa Bay the day after an alleged night on the town, Ponson was designated for assignment on June 6 despite the Rangers' lack of quality pitching. The Yankees signed him to a minor league deal on June 19 and recalled him eight days later.

"Every win is sweet, it doesn't matter who I beat," Ponson said. "I need to concentrate to make good pitches and win ballgames. It doesn't matter who I pitch against."

"He had good stuff tonight," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "He mixed all his pitches in, his breaking ball, his changeup, his sinker - it's a big start for us. He gave us some distance, got us into the seventh inning. Sidney's thrown some good games for us."

In this one, Ponson spotted the Rangers a 2-0 lead on rookie Chris Davis' two-run single in the second inning before retiring seven of the next eight batters he faced.

"I'm all about winning the game," Ponson said. "I was over there, so I know what they can do. They have good hitters in their lineup, so you have to be on your game every single pitch. I'm just happy we came out with the win today."

Tommy Hunter (0-1) made his second career start for Texas, allowing five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old righthander struck out four without a walk for the Rangers, who have received just seven quality starts in their last 37 games.

New York was paced offensively by Derek Jeter, who had two hits and two RBI. Bobby Abreu and Jose Molina also collected two hits, while Jason Giambi added his 22nd home run of the season.

"Hunter got some balls up, gave up the homer to Giambi when he left a changeup up to him," Washington said. "They started working him. That's what they do. We still have a chance to win the series tomorrow."

Michael Young belted his 10th shot and Davis went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Ian Kinsler also contributed two hits for Texas.

The game might have hinged on the outcome of the bottom of the second inning. After the Rangers loaded the bases against Ponson with none out, they ended up scoring two on Davis' one-out single. Then, after Ramon Vazquez struck out, Kinsler singled to right and rookie David Murphy tried to score from second.

Abreu's throw to Ivan Rodriguez beat Murphy home and he collided hard with the recently acquired catcher, leaving both players rolling in pain in the dirt. Rodriguez left the game immediately with a bruised right knee and was replaced by Molina.

"It was a great play by Pudge and a great throw by Abreu, and for Pudge to stay in there and block home plate," Girardi said. "It might have been the difference in the game. Who knows what happens the rest of that inning? Maybe they end up having a big inning. Huge play by Pudge. He's got a bruise right above his knee and he's day-to-day. He'll bounce back."

"I knew I had to prepare to get hit, and that's what I did," said Rodriguez, who was walking with a limp. "I'm glad we got the out and ended the inning. I'm glad (my knee is) OK. It's a deep bruise, and we'll take it day-to-day."

Murphy, meanwhile, stayed in for two more innings before exiting with a strain of the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. While he will undergo an MRI Thursday, Texas already knows he will be placed on the disabled list and miss two to four weeks.

"It doesn't feel great," Murphy said. "At the time, I thought I could stay in. I had so much adrenaline going. But it got worse throughout. It doesn't feel playable right now. It was such a blur. It happened so fast. My knee hyperextended into him. We banged each other up pretty good."

"We have to deal with it," Washington said. "He's been one of our hottest hitters the last two weeks. But we'll make an adjustment. We have no choice in the matter."

Perhaps buoyed from the momentum of that play, the Yankees responded in the third with three runs of their own to take the lead. Robinson Cano and Molina each singled and Wilson Betemit followed with an RBI double.

Molina came home on Johnny Damon's groundout, and Betemit scored when Jeter singled up the middle.

"Anytime the other team scores, you'd like to put some runs on the board," Jeter said. "It doesn't always happen, but we were able to put up three runs right there, and Sidney rolled from there."

"After that, I settled down," Ponson said. "I threw more strikes, my sinker started working even better, so it's one of those things. A play like that can turn things around for us, and tonight it did."