Final
Molina, Hamilton, Rangers lead Yanks 3-1 in ALCS
Oct 20, 2010 - 8:04 AMVideo
NEW YORK (AP) -- They have wandered on baseball's outskirts for a half-century, unwanted in Washington, trounced with regularity in Texas.
Now those Texas Rangers, in the 50th season of the team's existence, are just one win from reaching the World Series for the very first time.
"It's been our goal for awhile now," Michael Young said after another blowout of the defending champion New York Yankees, 10-3 Tuesday night, gave the Rangers a 3-1 AL championship series lead.
"I think one thing this club has done is stay focused and not get ahead of ourselves," Young said. "We know what our ultimate goal is."
Bengie Molina hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off A.J. Burnett in the sixth inning, Josh Hamilton added a pair of solo drives to give him four in four games and Nelson Cruz also went deep. The Rangers were a little giddy.
"It's not bad for a fat kid that everyone makes fun of when he runs," Molina said.
Instead of another pinstriped World Series, baseball's showcase would move down deep into the heart of Texas with a win by the Rangers in Game 5 Wednesday.
"We came here, we are supposed to lose," Molina said.
Fans started streaming out of Yankee Stadium in the late innings, while Rangers president and part-owner Nolan Ryan smiled in his seat. Texas is enjoying only its 18th winning season.
"They all talk about home-field advantage," said Derek Holland, who got the win with 3 2-3 innings of scoreless one-hit relief. "We want to be able to show that there's no such thing."
The big ballpark was as quiet as a minor league field for the second straight ninth inning. Texas is 5-0 on the road in the playoffs, and the Yankees are on the verge of losing three straight postseason home games in a single series for the first time since 1942.
"It's been a little unusual," Young said. "I think we look at Yankee Stadium as just a fun place to play. This is the ultimate in baseball."
Game 5 was slated to have a rematch of starters from the opener, with the Yankees' CC Sabathia pitching against C.J. Wilson. Since the LCS went to a best-of-seven format, 24 of the 30 previous teams to take 3-1 series leads have won the pennant.
"We have bounced back many times this year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Win, and then you go from there."
It was a costly loss for the defending champions. All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira limped off in the fifth inning with a strained right hamstring and said he was done for the year. Girardi said the team likely will replace Teixeira on the roster with infielder Eduardo Nunez.
"You battle all year to get a chance to help your team out in the World Series, hopefully," Teixeira said. "It's not going to happen this year."
Aiming for a Series matchup against San Francisco or Philadelphia, Texas has outscored the Yankees 30-11, outhit them 43-26 and would have swept if not for wasting a five-run lead in the opener, when the Yankees turned late walks into runs.
While Texas is hitting .307, New York is limping at .198, including .154 (6 for 39) with runners in scoring position. Alex Rodriguez has been a bust against his former team, going 2 for 15 (.133) with two RBIs.
The Rangers' bullpen has a 2.75 ERA in the series, while New York's relievers are at 7.07.
Molina's two-out homer came after an intentional walk to David Murphy and put Texas ahead 5-3. Molina circled the bases and pounded a fist against his chest - and left Burnett clasping hands behind his head.
"Believe it or not, it's probably the best I've pitched in a long time," Burnett said. "It's one mistake. It was down and away. It just didn't go where I wanted it to go. I knew he hit it out."
Holland entered when starter Tommy Hunter was knocked out in the fourth.
"I was definitely a little nervous coming into Yankee Stadium," Holland said, "especially in the playoffs, but at the same time you have to have fun with it."
- Yankees 3, Rangers 10 - FINAL
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E Andrus ss 5 0 1 1 0 1 1 .294
M Young 3b 4 0 1 1 1 1 1 .368
J Hamilton cf 5 2 2 2 0 0 3 .333
V Guerrero dh 5 1 4 0 0 1 0 .333
J Borbon pr-dh 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000
N Cruz rf 4 2 1 2 1 1 2 .333
I Kins
Oct 20 12:13 AM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY NELSON CRUZ (1) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 9TH OFF SERGIO MITRE SCORED JULIO BORBON.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 10, NY YANKEES 3
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.154, 1-FOR-4, RBI)
Rangers 10, Yankees 3 Top 9, 0 OutsOct 19 11:58 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JOSH HAMILTON (4) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 9TH OFF SERGIO MITRE.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 8, NY YANKEES 3
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: V GUERRERO (.294, 3-FOR-4)
Rangers 8, Yankees 3 Top 9, 0 OutsOct 19 11:55 PM - mark that was supposed to be, "it HIT him". man, this is killing me...
Rangers 7, Yankees 3 Top 9, 0 OutsOct 19 11:53 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY IAN KINSLER SCORED VLADIMIR GUERRERO
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, I KINSLER ON FIRST, N CRUZ ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 7
NY YANKEES 3 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.333, 0-FOR-1, 2 BB)
Rangers 7, Yankees 3 Top 7, 0 OutsOct 19 10:57 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JOSH HAMILTON (3) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 2
OUT IN THE 7TH OFF BOONE LOGAN.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 6, NY YANKEES 3
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: V GUERRERO (.250, 2-FOR-3)
Rangers 6, Yankees 3 Top 7, 0 OutsOct 19 10:51 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY BENGIE MOLINA (1) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF A.J. BURNETT SCORED DAVID MURPHY AND NELSON
CRUZ.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 5, NY YANKEES 3
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M MORELAND (.444, 0-FOR-1, SAC)
Rangers 5, Yankees 3 Top 6, 0 OutsOct 19 10:33 PM - Kllian Lol, almost wild pitch on an intentional walk!
Rangers 2, Yankees 3 Top 6, 0 OutsOct 19 10:32 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
FORCE OUT BY BRETT GARDNER SCORED ALEX RODRIGUEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B GARDNER ON FIRST, L BERKMAN ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
NY YANKEES 3 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: F CERVELLI (.000, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Yankees 3 Bot 4, 0 OutsOct 19 9:48 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY CURTIS GRANDERSON SCORED DEREK JETER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C GRANDERSON ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
NY YANKEES 2 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: M TEIXEIRA (.000, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Yankees 2 Bot 3, 0 OutsOct 19 9:06 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MICHAEL YOUNG SCORED BENGIE MOLINA
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M YOUNG ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
NY YANKEES 1 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J HAMILTON (.273, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Yankees 1 Top 3, 0 OutsOct 19 8:57 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY ELVIS ANDRUS SCORED DAVID MURPHY
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B MOLINA ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 1
NY YANKEES 1 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.375, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 1, Yankees 1 Top 3, 0 OutsOct 19 8:56 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0
NY YANKEES 0 1 1 1 0 (TOP 3)
CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - TOMMY HUNTER
NYY - A.J. BURNETT
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.400, 1 HR, 2 RBI)
B MOLINA (.250, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
M MORELAND (.500, 0 HR, 3 RBI)
Rangers 0, Yankees 1 Top 3, 0 OutsOct 19 8:44 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY LANCE BERKMAN (1) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 2ND OFF TOMMY HUNTER.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0, NY YANKEES 2
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: B GARDNER (.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Rangers 0, Yankees 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsOct 19 8:38 PM - AL
AT NY YANKEES PLAYOFFS - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ROBINSON CANO (3) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 2ND OFF TOMMY HUNTER.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0, NY YANKEES 1
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: N SWISHER (.091, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Rangers 0, Yankees 1 Bot 2, 0 OutsOct 19 8:34 PM
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