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Byrd hits walk-off grand slam as Rangers top Yankees

Aug 5, 2008 - 5:34 AM By Jay Miller PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Marlon Byrd hit a walk-off grand slam in the ninth inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a 9-5 victory over the New York Yankees on Monday night.

Rookie David Murphy blasted a two-run homer in the fourth and Michael Young added a three-run blast in the fifth for the Rangers, who have won five of their last seven contests.

With its third walk-off win in its last eight games, Texas (59-54) improved to five games over .500 for the first time this season.

Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano and Xavier Nady hit solo home runs for New York (61-51), which failed to pick up its third straight win and gain ground in the American League East race.

After Yankees reliever Damaso Marte (0-1) walked the bases loaded with two outs, Byrd crushed a first-pitch offering over the center field wall for his seven home run of the season.

"The water, the beer shower... it's just wonderful, it's euphoria," the 20-year-old Byrd said of his second walk-off home run of the year. "You battle all game long. You get in a position like that and come through, it feels great."

It was the first walk-off grand slam by a member of the Rangers since Alex Rodriguez broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 11th against Boston on July 31, 2003.

Eddie Guardado (3-2) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless ninth inning.

"It's somebody different every night, that's pretty special," Guardado said. "It was a good comeback win, especially against those guys."

After scoring a run in the first, New York stretched its lead to 3-0 on a pair of solo home runs by Giambi and Cano - both reaching the upper deck of the right field - in the fourth.

The Rangers began chipping away at the Yankees' lead in the bottom of the frame. After a one-out walk by Byrd, Murphy deposited his 15th home run of the season over the right field wall to cut the lead to 3-2.

"The way we did it against the team we did it against... this is the best win yet," Murphy said. "We've had so many of these, but we just need to take this in to tomorrow."

In the fifth inning, the Yankees were beneficiaries of a pair of balks by Rangers starter Vicente Padilla. Texas manager Ron Washington was ejected from the game by first base umpire Alfonso Marquez for arguing the latter call that allowed Damon to score from third and give New York a 4-2 advantage.

Texas took a 5-4 lead in the fifth when Young hammered a three-run shot into right-center field. But Nady tied the game with a solo shot in the eighth.

Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain left the contest in the fifth inning with right shoulder stiffness. The 22-year-old righthander suffered through his worst outing since moving to the rotation, surrendering five runs and eight hits with two walks over 4 2/3 frames.

"It's a big turn because Joba's been throwing the ball so well," Yankees skipper Joe Girardi said.

Chamberlain will leave Texas on Tuesday morning to be examined by New York physicians.

"We'll have tests just so we can rule out everything," Chamberlain said. "I hope to make my next start Saturday against Anaheim. Hopefully, I'd miss just one if that's the case."