• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rangers take their swings against Garcia in the Bronx

Apr 16, 2011 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - It's been nearly seven years since the Rangers last beat Freddy Garcia.

The 34-year-old right-hander makes his first start as a member of the Yankees this afternoon when they battle Texas in the middle installment of a three- game series.

Signed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in the offseason, Garcia made his Yankees debut Sunday night, allowing a run in one relief inning of a loss in Boston. He is undefeated in his last five starts against the Rangers and has not lost to Texas since April 24, 2004 when he pitched for Seattle. Since that defeat, he has gone 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA. Garcia holds a 7-5 lifetime mark with a 4.29 ERA vs. the Rangers.

Derek Holland tries to match a career-high win streak and aims to stay unbeaten as he toes the rubber this afternoon. The 24-year-old left-hander won three in a row August 9-20, 2009. He's coming off a six-inning blanking of the Orioles at Camden Yards on Sunday.

Holland has yet to beat the Yankees and is 0-2 with a 9.49 ERA in three games (2 starts) all-time against them. He made a pair of relief appearances against New York in the ALCS last October, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He earned the victory in Game 4 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium, allowing just one hit over 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Tommy Hunter.

Last night, the Yankees set a team record they'd like to forget, hitting into six double plays in a 5-3 loss. Matt Harrison (3-0) was the beneficiary of the solid defense, as the Texas lefty allowed seven hits, including a solo homer to Curtis Granderson, over eight innings. His ERA stands at 1.23 this season.

The six double plays hit into were not only the most for the Yankees over a nine-inning game, but the same number turned by Texas equaled the overall American League mark, one shy of most ever in the majors for a nine-inning contest.

"You want some ground balls, you want some action," Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said. "Today was a pretty good game for the infield. I think the outfield was a little mad today."

Ivan Nova (1-1) gave up four hits, five walks and five runs over 4 1/3 innings for the Yankees, who had won their previous two games.

Texas and New York split eight regular season meetings last year, while the Rangers swept a three-game series in Arlington from Sept. 10-12. New York took all three meetings in the Bronx from April 16-18.