The Texas Rangers’ promising start crumbled under a relentless Yankees comeback at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, as New York stormed back from a three-run deficit to secure a 7-4 victory, extending their winning streak to five games and improving to 25-11 on the season.
The Rangers struck first, capitalizing on rookie pitcher Elmer Rodriguez’s early struggles. Rodriguez, making just his second major league start, walked two batters and allowed a single to load the bases in the first inning. Jack Peterson’s sacrifice fly to deep center field brought home Carter, giving Texas a 1-0 lead.
The damage continued as Ezequiel Duran’s soft flare to right field drove in Seager, pushing the lead to 2-0. A hit-by-pitch reloaded the bases, and a wild pitch from Yankees catcher Austin Wells allowed Young to score, making it 3-0 Texas before the Yankees even stepped to the plate.
Rodriguez threw 37 pitches in the first inning alone, surrendering three runs on two hits and two walks. His command issues were evident, but he managed to escape further trouble by inducing a groundout to end the inning.
The Yankees responded immediately in the bottom of the first against Rangers ace Jacob deGrom. Aaron Judge led off with a double to right field, his sixth of the season, and Cody Bellinger followed with an RBI double off the top of the wall, scoring Judge to cut the lead to 3-1.
New York tied the game in the second inning when Ryan McMahon crushed a two-run home run to right field off deGrom, scoring Goldschmidt and knotting the score at 3-3. The home run was McMahon’s seventh of the season and came on a hanging curveball that deGrom immediately regretted.
Rodriguez settled down after the first inning, throwing 37 pitches from the second through fourth innings without allowing a run. He retired eight consecutive batters at one point, showcasing the composure that team officials have praised. His velocity dipped slightly, but his command improved dramatically.
The Rangers threatened again in the fifth inning, loading the bases with two outs against Rodriguez. Manager Bruce Bochy pulled the rookie after 4.2 innings, bringing in reliever Hedrick. Hedrick struck out Osuna swinging on a slider to end the inning, stranding three runners and keeping the game tied.
The Yankees took the lead for good in the sixth inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. launched a 413-foot solo home run to right field off deGrom, giving New York a 4-3 lead. Chisholm’s blast was his 13th RBI of the season and came on a fastball that he turned on with authority.
Texas continued to threaten but could not break through. In the sixth inning, the Rangers put the tying and go-ahead runs on base with back-to-back hits, but Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz struck out Duran and induced a pop-up from Burger to end the inning, stranding two more runners.
The Yankees extended their lead in the seventh inning. McMahon singled, and Caviierro followed with a bunt single. After a flyout, the Yankees intentionally walked Judge to load the bases. Bellinger then delivered a two-run single, scoring McMahon and Caviierro, giving New York a 6-3 lead.
Bellinger’s hit was his 26th RBI of the season, continuing a torrid three-week stretch. The decision to walk Judge backfired spectacularly, as Bellinger made the Rangers pay for the strategy.
The Rangers mounted one final threat in the eighth inning. A hit-by-pitch, a single, and a walk loaded the bases with one out for Seager. Yankees closer David Bednar entered and struck out Seager swinging at a 97-mph fastball, then induced a pop-up from Young to end the inning. Bednar’s performance was electric, stranding three runners and preserving the lead.
New York added insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Paul Goldschmidt led off with a first-pitch single to left field, then crushed a home run to right field, his second hit of the night, extending the lead to 7-3. Goldschmidt’s swing was simple and effective, as he drove the ball into the first row of seats.
The Rangers scored once more in the ninth inning. Duran tripled to left-center field on a ball that bounced off the wall, then scored on a groundout by Burger. But Bednar induced a soft grounder to McMahon at first base to end the game, securing the 7-4 victory.
The Yankees’ win was their fourth straight against the Orioles and their first against the Rangers in this three-game series. They improved to 25-11, one of the best records in baseball. The Rangers fell to 18-18, dropping to .500 for the season.
Rodriguez’s final line was 4.2 innings, three runs, four hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. He threw 74 pitches, 37 in the first inning alone. Despite the rough start, he showed resilience by settling down and keeping the game close.
deGrom took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven but struggled with the long ball, allowing two home runs. His ERA rose to 3.12 for the season.
Bellinger was the offensive star for the Yankees, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double. Goldschmidt added two hits, including the home run, and two RBIs. Chisholm’s solo shot was his 13th of the season.
For the Rangers, Duran had three hits, including a triple, and scored two runs. Burger drove in one run, and Peterson had a sacrifice fly. The Rangers left 12 men on base, a critical failure in a game where they had numerous opportunities.
The series continues Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, with the Rangers looking to even the series and the Yankees aiming to extend their winning streak. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern.
