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Yankees try to build a win streak versus Rangers

May 7, 2011 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - A couple of American League teams moving in different directions lock up for the second game of a three-game set at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington tonight as Texas entertains the New York Yankees.

On Friday the Yankees managed to put an end to a three-game slide by delivering a 4-1 win against Texas in the series opener, earning the visitors a split of their first 12 road games of 2011 and leaving them with a one-game lead in the AL East over the Tampa Bay Rays. From an offensive standpoint, the star of the game for New York was Curtis Granderson, who belted a pair of home runs and finished with three knocked in, while Russell Martin also scored a run after working three of the team's seven walks on the night.

Starting pitcher Ivan Nova picked up his third win of the campaign as he allowed just one earned run on two hits, striking out one, over the course of 7 1/3 innings. The always reliable Mariano Rivera logged his 12th save of the season as he struck out two in the ninth.

Despite being listed as probable with a sore right hip, Derek Jeter appeared in his 2,302nd career game at shortstop for the Yankees, matching Cal Ripken's mark for most games at the position with one team. Also making news from an injury standpoint was infielder Eric Chavez, who was placed on the 15-day disabled Friday with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot, forcing the recall of infielder Ramiro Pena from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"We needed a lift after the way we played in Detroit, losing three games in a row after winning the first one off of (Justin) Verlander," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi following his team's performance.

As for the Rangers, who are now tied with Oakland for second place in the AL West with a record of 17-16, they were limited to a total of just three hits while Mike Napoli scored the lone run for the club in the bottom of the eighth inning. Texas starter Matt Harrison was saddled with the loss as he permitted three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and five walks over six innings.

Now in his third season with the Texas Rangers, hurler Derek Holland is penciled in as the starter for the home team tonight in Arlington. The left-hander lasted seven innings against Oakland earlier this week in his most recent start, permitting two earned runs on eight hits and a pair of walks, while striking out four in what turned into a 5-4 setback on the road. Holland didn't factor into the decision, the second time in as many starts, as he guns for his fourth win on the campaign.

Holland has made three career starts versus the Yankees but has yet to come up with a win, showing a 0-3 mark with a lefty 8.10 ERA in four overall appearances against New York.

Countering for the visiting Yankees will be the aging Bartolo Colon who, after being out of the majors last season, is on with his fourth different club since 2007. The right-hander last pitched on Monday when he gave up three runs on seven hits -- two home runs -- over seven innings in a 5-3 win versus the Detroit Tigers on the road. Colon matched a season-best with seven strikeouts and did so while refraining from walking a single batter for the first time in 2011, yet he still didn't factor into the decision.

Since breaking into the majors in 1997 with the Cleveland Indians, Colon has had more success against the Texas Rangers than any other opponent, sporting a 17-6 mark thanks to a respectable 3.60 ERA over 26 starts. Texas hitters have batted a combined .218 versus Colon through the years.

Thanks to the efforts of Colon and his fellow hurlers, the Yankees are fifth in the AL in team ERA with a mark of 3.60 through 30 games, yet this is a group that is also just one of two (Toronto) that has yet to log a shutout. Meanwhile, the Texas staff has held opponents scoreless twice thus far and has a 3.83 ERA to show for its efforts.

From an offensive perspective, the Yankees are far and away the leaders in home runs in the majors with a total of 48, 10 more than Arizona, Cincinnati and Texas, which are all tied for second on the list. After last night's performance, Granderson now leads the AL in home runs with 10.

Even though he is batting just .238 through 33 games, Adrian Beltre is the leader in the power department for the Rangers with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. Matching him with seven homers is Nelson Cruz who is hitting a mere .219 at the moment. Texas clearly misses Josh Hamilton, last year's AL MVP who led the league with a .359 batting average, who suffered a broken right humerus bone on April 12 and still has not set a date for his return to action.

Over the three previous seasons these two teams were an even 12-12 in their meetings, with the Rangers posting four wins in five tries at home last year to lock the season-series at four games apiece.