It's the second of 3 game 7s in a row for the Bombers in game 6 this ALCS, win or go home. Phil Hughes takes the mound for New York and Colby lewis takes the mound for Texas in what is a rematch of ALCS game starters. The Yankees lost game 2 7-2 to go down 2 games to 0 heading back to NY.
The first 5 games of this ALCS have been nailbiters or blowouts, it has been very lopsided. While the Yankees have scored a total of 18 runs, the Rangers have scored 32; yet the Yankees have somehow found a way to stay in the series. They pin all of their hopes on righty Phil Hughes tonight with the hope he will force a game 7 matchup between the Rangers Cliff lee and the Yankees Andy Pettitte.
Phil Hughes lost game 2 by allowing 7 earned runs on 10 hits through only 4 innings. "I'm just thrilled to have this opportunity again," Hughes said in a report on ESPN.com "It wasn't guaranteed I would have another start in this series, and I'm just happy to be able to pitch and turn in a better start than my last one."
He added: "I have to make some adjustments, that's the key. I think whoever makes the adjustments is going to come out on top." He does have history on his side, the Rangers lineup as a whole is hitting a meager .079 against him in the regular season, maybe game 2 was an aberration. Whatever happened, he will need to make the necessary adjustments to succeed tonight.
Taking the mound for the Rangers is righty Colby Lewis. In game 2 he pitched effectively to earn the win. He surrendered 2 runs on 6 hits over 5 2/3 innings. The only blemish being a solo home run allowed to Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, one of 4 he has hit this postseason. Lewis somehow avoided pitching against the Yankees at all this season until the playoffs depsite going 12-13 over 32 starts. Look for him to focus on location since he will not overpower anyone with his fastball.
The Yankees are featuring a lineup with 7 hitters who are either lefty or switch hitters tonight, that should favor them until later innings when it won't matter if they are able to score some early runs and take a lead:
1. Derek Jeter SS
2. Curtis Granderson CF
3. Robinson Cano 2B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Lance Berkman 1B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Jorge Posada C
8. Marcus Thames DH
9. Brett Gardner LF
The Rangers have Nelson Cruz back and have also inserted Bengie Molina back into the lineup after an off night for game 5:
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
Expect Rangers fans to be loud and into the game from the beginning. Those fans can smell the world series for the first time in their team's existence, they will not be denied by the hated Yankees if they have anything to say about it.
Play ball!!
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