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Yankees pay a visit to Rangers in Arlington

May 6, 2011 - 3:06 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees try to avoid a fourth straight loss this evening when they open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

After winning their series opener with the Detroit Tigers on Monday, the Yankees went on to lose the next three games, including a 6-3 setback on Thursday at Comerica Park.

New York's vaunted lineup has been anything but of late, as the Yankees have just one regular batting over .300 at the moment. Alex Rodriguez is hitting just .176 in his last 14 games and hasn't homered since April 23, while Derek Jeter has looked every bit of 36 both in the field and at the plate, where he is batting just .250 with an abysmal .269 slugging percentage.

"We can swing the bats better," said manager Joe Girardi of his team's recent struggles at the plate. "But as I said, you're going to go through periods during the season when an opposing pitcher shuts you down."

Jeter, whose next game at shortstop will be his 2,302nd with the Yankees, matching Cal Ripken?s mark for games at shortstop with one team, was held out of the lineup on Thursday. His replacement Eduardo Nunez committed two errors leading to two runs.

The Yankees also lost Eric Chavez to a broken foot in the setback. Chavez was playing for Rodriguez, but was injured rounding the bases on a fourth inning triple. Rodriguez replaced him and finished with two hits.

A.J. Burnett (4-2) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but gave up five runs -- two earned -- on three hits, a walk and two hit batters while striking out five.

The Yankees have been outscored 14-5 in their first three-game losing streak of the season.

"You're going to through this as a team, you just have to fight your way out of it," said Girardi.

Hoping to reverse their fortunes tonight the Yankees will send right-handed rookie Ivan Nova to the hill. Nova has pitched well his last two starts and beat the Toronto Blue Jays his last time out on Sunday, holding them to two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, as he improved to 2-2 to go along with a 5.14 ERA.

Nova's worst start this season, though, came against Texas, which battered him for five runs in only 4 1/3 frames.

Texas, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Matt Harrison, who has lost his last three starts. Harrison failed to get out of the second inning against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, as they hammered him for four runs in just 1 2/3 frames. He is 3-3 on the year and has seen his ERA rise to 4.59.

Harrison's last win came against the Yankees on April 15, as he tossed eight solid innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and seven hits. He is 2-1 lifetime against them with a 5.24 ERA in six games (three starts).

Texas enters tonight's matchup on the heels of losing two of three to the Seattle Mariners after a 3-1 loss in Thursday's rubber match at Safeco Field.

Colby Lewis (2-4) went the full eight innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while posting a career-high 11 strikeouts in the loss, the Rangers' sixth in eight games.

The Yankees took two of three from the Rangers earlier in the season. Texas, of course, beat the Yankees in six games in last year's ALCS.