Rangers Outpitch, Outhit, Outplay Yankees to World Series

The Yankees took the field last night knowing that a loss meant the end of their season. Sending young Phil Hughes, an 18 game winner this season, to the mound seemed like a no-brainer. Though he was torched in game 2, he would surely come back and pitch his game with the season was on the line.


At time Hughes looked distracted and not into the moment. His eyes were not those of a focused, concentrated, 18 game winner. He didn't finish a few of his pitches, the Rangers made him pay. Starting in the bottom first inning when shortstop Elvis Andrus led off with a double, advanced to third on a single by center fielder Josh Hamilton and scored on a hit and run ground out by DH Vladimir Guerrero; the Rangers took advantage of every chance they had en route to a 6-1 victory.

Yankees vs Rangers ALCS Game 6 Preview

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.

Rangers Even ALCS at 1-1

The Yanks strode confidently into game 2 of the ALCS after their dramatic comeback win the night before in game 1. To put last night's win into even more perspective, it was the first time in team history that the Yankees were trailing by 5 runs in a playoff game in the 7th inning or later in won. In addition, their starter Phil Hughes had only allowed 3 hits in 15 1/3 innings pitching in Arlington in his career up to this point.

The only problem with all this confidence and reason to feel like the Rangers were just a speed bump was Rangers starter Colby Lewis. After spending years bouncing around the league and even to the Hiroshima Carp in Japan, he came to win. 12-13? Not today. He started the game by striking out Derek Jeter and retiring both Curtis Granderson and Mark Texeira. His team soon rewarded him.