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Tommy Hunter will face off against embattled Yankees starter AJ Burnett as the Texas Rangers look to push the Yankees to the brink of elimination and take a 3-1 ALCS lead.
To follow tonight’s game live as Tommy Hunter looks to give the Rangers a 3-1 series lead over the Yankees, head over to Lone Star Ball and join the conversation.
1. Elvis Andrus – SS
2. Michael Young – 3B
3. Josh Hamilton – CF
4. Vladimir Guerrero – DH
5. Nelson Cruz – RF
6. Ian Kinsler – 2B
7. David Murphy – LF
8. Bengie Molina – C
9. Mitch Moreland – 1B
SP – Tommy Hunter
Personally, I would swap Cruz/Vlad and Kinsler/Murphy, but we’ve been through that already.
1. Derek Jeter – SS
2. Curtis Granderson – CF
3. Mark Teixeira – 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez – 3B
5. Robinson Cano – 2B
6. Nick Swisher – RF
7. Lance Berkman – 1B
8. Brett Gardner – LF
9. Francisco Cervelli – C
SP – A.J. Burnett
The Texas Rangers are two wins away from capturing their first American League pennant in franchise history and Tommy Hunter will look to get them one step closer tonight when he takes the mound for Texas.
The Rangers won Game 3 behind another dominant Cliff Lee effort, defeating the Yankees 8-0 while Lee struck out 13 in eight innings and allowed only three Yankees to reach base. Texas led 2-0 headed into the ninth but exploded for six runs to put the game away.
New York will send troubled pitcher AJ Burnett to the mound to try to even up the ALCS. Burnett didn't pitch in the Yankees sweep over the Twins in the ALDS and hasn't pitched since October 2nd against the Boston Red Sox. Burnett was 10-15 for the Yankees this year, posting a 1.51 WHIP and 5.26 ERA while walking 78 and striking out 145 in 186.2 innings of work in 2010.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi opted to pitch Burnett in Game 4 rather than skip him in favor of ace CC Sabathia on short rest. Girardi did not want young starter Phil Hughes to pitch on short rest or Andy Pettitte, who was beleaguered with injury, pitching on short rest. Sabathia will instead start Game 5.
Texas will counter Burnett with right hander Tommy Hunter to the mound. Hunter started Game 4 for the Rangers of the ALDS, lasting four innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. He'll have a tough act to follow after Lee's gem in Game 3.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:07 EDT. Televised coverage can be found on TBS.
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Rangers Win Game Four, On The Cusp Of First World Series
Bronx, NY (Sports Network) – Bengie Molina smacked a go-ahead three-run homer off A.J. Burnett in the sixth inning, helping the Texas Rangers put themselves on the brink of their first World Series appearance with a 10-3 win over New York in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium.
The Rangers, winners in all five of their road games this postseason, lead the best-of-seven series three games to one thanks to four home runs and four relievers shutting down the defending World Series champions over the final 5 2/3 frames.
Molina finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Josh Hamilton hit a pair of solo homers for Texas, which has hit at least one long ball in each of its nine playoff tilts. Nelson Cruz also went deep in the lopsided affair.
Derek Holland (1-0) tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win behind Tommy Hunter, who was charged with three runs on five hits in 3 1/3 frames.
Burnett (0-1), called upon despite his late-season struggles, yielded five runs on six hits and three walks over six innings in a loss further exacerbated by a strained right hamstring to first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a solo homer for the Yankees, who have never lost in the ALCS after trailing the series, 2-1.
In Game 5 on Wednesday, CC Sabathia will have the task of keeping New York’s season alive opposite C.J. Wilson in a rematch of Game 1 starters. Sabathia lasted just four innings in the opener and was in line for the loss before the Yankees rallied for the win against the Rangers’ bullpen.
Oct 19 11:23p by Brett Perryman - 0 comments