NEW YORK -- Trailing by four runs in the ninth inning, the somnambulant New York Yankees
were on the verge of falling 10 games behind division-leading Baltimore
in the AL East. Many in the crowd of 39,875 already had streamed out,
convinced they had seen another listless loss in a season filled with
them.
Those who left early missed an astonishing comeback the Yankees hope sparks the turnaround that has eluded them.
New York's first three batters reached, cutting the deficit by a run, and an electric seven-pitch span unfolded.
Brian McCann hit a tying, three-run homer off Sam Dyson, Starlin Castro walked and Didi Gregorius capped the six-run inning with his two-run shot, lifting the Yankees to a 9-7 win over the Texas Rangers, the team with American League's best record.
"Probably the biggest win of the year for us," Alex Rodriguez said.
New York trailed 7-2 Wednesday night and had a 1.2 percent win probability, according to Fangraphs, before McCann's solo homer with one out in the eighth off Cesar Ramos. McCann, bothered by patellar tendinitis, grabbed his left knee while rounding first and limped as he circled the bases.
Matt Bush came in and escaped a two-on jam, and the 30-year-old rookie, seeking his first big league save, was left in for the ninth.
Win probability was up to only 1.8 percent before Rob Refsnyder singled leading off the ninth. Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a walk, and Dyson (1-2) relieved.
New York had been 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position before Brett Gardner singled, and Refsnyder came home when center fielder Ian Desmond bobbled the ball for an error.
After Rodriguez lined out, McCann lined a 97 mph, 1-0 fastball on the inside of the plate above the knees and sent it about six rows deep into the right-field seats. Castro walked on five pitches, and Gregorius drove Dyson's first offering, an outside changeup at the knees, into the first row above the right-field scoreboard, where the ball ricocheted off a fan's glove and back onto the field.
"I didn't know it was gone like right away. After I stepped on first, that's when I saw it," Gregorius said. "I didn't smile because I didn't want to smile, but as soon as I rounded third, see all the guys there, everybody cheering, I had to smile right there."
It was the first game-ending homer of Gregorius' career; he said his only other one was for the Netherlands national team in October 2010 against Taiwan in the Intercontinental Cup.
"Threw some quality pitches down in the zone and they got hit. That's the end of it," said Dyson, who blew a save for the second time in 18 chances. "I kind of came in and let everybody down."
New York (38-39), which has never been more than two games above .500 this year, had lost the series opener, wasting a ninth-inning lead after a 3 1/2-hour rain delay in a game that ended at 2:44 a.m. Cole Hamels shut down the Yankees on Tuesday, extending their losing streak to three.
"There's a sense of urgency," manager Joe Girardi said before the game. "As days tick away, you start to run out of time, and you don't want to bury yourself."
Texas opened a 5-1 lead in the third against Masahiro Tanaka when Nomar Mazara, a 21-year-old rookie who is the youngest position player in the majors, hit a three-run double and scored on Prince Fielder's single off a diving Refsnyder at first.
Rougned Odor added his 15th homer in the sixth, an opposite-field drive to left, and Adrian Beltre hit an opposite-field homer to right in the eighth off Luis Cessa (1-0), who allowed one run in three innings for his first big league win.
Chase Headley had homered in the second against Nick Martinez, who played college ball in the Bronx with Fordham, and had a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Ramos. The drama was yet to come. New York had not won this year when trailing after eight innings.
"It can be huge," McCann said. "We dug ourselves a hole early in April, and we're getting out of it right now."
Gregorius hoped the comeback was just a prelude.
"I would say the biggest is yet to come," he said.
RARE FEATS
Before McCann, the previous Yankees player to homer in the eighth and ninth innings of a game was Tony Clark in 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... The Yankees had not won when trailing by four runs in the ninth inning or later since beating Oakland 10-9 on Sept. 22, 2012, when they allowed four runs in the 13th, tied the score in the bottom half and prevailed 10-9 in the 14th.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: After leaving Tuesday's game in the first inning with a tight right hamstring, Carlos Beltran probably won't be available through at least Thursday, according to Girardi.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Michael Pineda (3-7) starts Thursday's series finale against RHP A.J. Griffin (3-0). Pineda is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last four starts. Griffin returned from a stint on the DL caused by shoulder soreness and allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings against Boston last Saturday.
Texas Rangers
Those who left early missed an astonishing comeback the Yankees hope sparks the turnaround that has eluded them.
New York's first three batters reached, cutting the deficit by a run, and an electric seven-pitch span unfolded.
Brian McCann hit a tying, three-run homer off Sam Dyson, Starlin Castro walked and Didi Gregorius capped the six-run inning with his two-run shot, lifting the Yankees to a 9-7 win over the Texas Rangers, the team with American League's best record.
"Probably the biggest win of the year for us," Alex Rodriguez said.
New York trailed 7-2 Wednesday night and had a 1.2 percent win probability, according to Fangraphs, before McCann's solo homer with one out in the eighth off Cesar Ramos. McCann, bothered by patellar tendinitis, grabbed his left knee while rounding first and limped as he circled the bases.
Matt Bush came in and escaped a two-on jam, and the 30-year-old rookie, seeking his first big league save, was left in for the ninth.
Win probability was up to only 1.8 percent before Rob Refsnyder singled leading off the ninth. Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a walk, and Dyson (1-2) relieved.
New York had been 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position before Brett Gardner singled, and Refsnyder came home when center fielder Ian Desmond bobbled the ball for an error.
After Rodriguez lined out, McCann lined a 97 mph, 1-0 fastball on the inside of the plate above the knees and sent it about six rows deep into the right-field seats. Castro walked on five pitches, and Gregorius drove Dyson's first offering, an outside changeup at the knees, into the first row above the right-field scoreboard, where the ball ricocheted off a fan's glove and back onto the field.
"I didn't know it was gone like right away. After I stepped on first, that's when I saw it," Gregorius said. "I didn't smile because I didn't want to smile, but as soon as I rounded third, see all the guys there, everybody cheering, I had to smile right there."
It was the first game-ending homer of Gregorius' career; he said his only other one was for the Netherlands national team in October 2010 against Taiwan in the Intercontinental Cup.
"Threw some quality pitches down in the zone and they got hit. That's the end of it," said Dyson, who blew a save for the second time in 18 chances. "I kind of came in and let everybody down."
New York (38-39), which has never been more than two games above .500 this year, had lost the series opener, wasting a ninth-inning lead after a 3 1/2-hour rain delay in a game that ended at 2:44 a.m. Cole Hamels shut down the Yankees on Tuesday, extending their losing streak to three.
"There's a sense of urgency," manager Joe Girardi said before the game. "As days tick away, you start to run out of time, and you don't want to bury yourself."
Texas opened a 5-1 lead in the third against Masahiro Tanaka when Nomar Mazara, a 21-year-old rookie who is the youngest position player in the majors, hit a three-run double and scored on Prince Fielder's single off a diving Refsnyder at first.
Rougned Odor added his 15th homer in the sixth, an opposite-field drive to left, and Adrian Beltre hit an opposite-field homer to right in the eighth off Luis Cessa (1-0), who allowed one run in three innings for his first big league win.
Chase Headley had homered in the second against Nick Martinez, who played college ball in the Bronx with Fordham, and had a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Ramos. The drama was yet to come. New York had not won this year when trailing after eight innings.
"It can be huge," McCann said. "We dug ourselves a hole early in April, and we're getting out of it right now."
Gregorius hoped the comeback was just a prelude.
"I would say the biggest is yet to come," he said.
RARE FEATS
Before McCann, the previous Yankees player to homer in the eighth and ninth innings of a game was Tony Clark in 2004, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... The Yankees had not won when trailing by four runs in the ninth inning or later since beating Oakland 10-9 on Sept. 22, 2012, when they allowed four runs in the 13th, tied the score in the bottom half and prevailed 10-9 in the 14th.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: After leaving Tuesday's game in the first inning with a tight right hamstring, Carlos Beltran probably won't be available through at least Thursday, according to Girardi.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Michael Pineda (3-7) starts Thursday's series finale against RHP A.J. Griffin (3-0). Pineda is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last four starts. Griffin returned from a stint on the DL caused by shoulder soreness and allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings against Boston last Saturday.
7:05PM,EDT,June 29,2016
Yankee Stadium, New York, New York
Yankee Stadium, New York, New York
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Texas - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Choo struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Desmond struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Mazara safe at first on error by first baseman Refsnyder. | 0 | 0 |
| Beltré grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Ellsbury singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Ellsbury stole second. | 0 | 0 |
| Gardner grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Rodriguez grounded into double play, third to second to first, Gardner out at second, Ellsbury to third. | 0 | 0 |
| McCann walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Castro lined out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Fielder doubled to deep left center. | 0 | 0 |
| Odor grounded out to second, Fielder to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Andrus singled to left center, Fielder scored. | 1 | 0 |
| Andrus caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. | 1 | 0 |
| Moreland struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Gregorius struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Headley homered to right (396 feet). | 1 | 1 |
| Hicks lined out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| Refsnyder walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Refsnyder stole second. | 1 | 1 |
| Ellsbury walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Gardner flied out to right. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Chirinos singled to left center. | 1 | 1 |
| Choo singled to right, Chirinos to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Desmond walked, Chirinos to third, Choo to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Mazara doubled to deep center, Chirinos, Choo and Desmond scored. | 4 | 1 |
| Beltré flied out to center, Mazara to third. | 4 | 1 |
| Fielder reached on infield single to shortstop, Mazara scored. | 5 | 1 |
| Odor lined out to shortstop. | 5 | 1 |
| Andrus popped out to second. | 5 | 1 |
| 4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Rodriguez grounded out to third. | 5 | 1 |
| McCann flied out to left. | 5 | 1 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 5 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Moreland grounded out to shortstop. | 5 | 1 |
| Chirinos struck out swinging. | 5 | 1 |
| Choo singled to left. | 5 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Gregorius flied out to left. | 5 | 1 |
| Headley lined out to left. | 5 | 1 |
| Hicks walked. | 5 | 1 |
| Refsnyder grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Hicks out at second. | 5 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Mazara grounded out to pitcher. | 5 | 1 |
| Beltré grounded out to shortstop. | 5 | 1 |
| Fielder flied out to center. | 5 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Ellsbury fouled out to third. | 5 | 1 |
| Gardner grounded out to shortstop. | 5 | 1 |
| Rodriguez flied out to center. | 5 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Masahiro Tanaka pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Odor homered to left (373 feet). | 6 | 1 |
| Andrus flied out to right. | 6 | 1 |
| Moreland struck out swinging. | 6 | 1 |
| Chirinos struck out swinging. | 6 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Nick Martinez pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| McCann walked. | 6 | 1 |
| Castro singled to left, McCann to second. | 6 | 1 |
| Ramos relieved Martinez. | 6 | 1 |
| Gregorius grounded into fielder's choice to first, Castro out at second, McCann to third. | 6 | 1 |
| Headley hit sacrifice fly to right, McCann scored. | 6 | 2 |
| Hicks lined out to center. | 6 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Luis Cessa pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Cessa relieved Tanaka. | 6 | 2 |
| Choo lined out to left. | 6 | 2 |
| Desmond grounded out to second. | 6 | 2 |
| Mazara struck out looking. | 6 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Cesar Ramos pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Refsnyder grounded out to shortstop. | 6 | 2 |
| Ellsbury lined out to right. | 6 | 2 |
| Gardner grounded out to second. | 6 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Luis Cessa pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Beltré homered to right (345 feet). | 7 | 2 |
| Fielder flied out to center. | 7 | 2 |
| Odor grounded out to pitcher. | 7 | 2 |
| Andrus walked. | 7 | 2 |
| Moreland grounded out to second. | 7 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Cesar Ramos pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. | 7 | 2 |
| McCann homered to right (356 feet). | 7 | 3 |
| Castro singled to right. | 7 | 3 |
| Gregorius singled to right, Castro to second. | 7 | 3 |
| Bush relieved Ramos. | 7 | 3 |
| Headley flied out to left. | 7 | 3 |
| Hicks struck out looking. | 7 | 3 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Luis Cessa pitching for New York | TEX | NYY |
| Chirinos lined out to third. | 7 | 3 |
| Choo struck out swinging. | 7 | 3 |
| Desmond walked. | 7 | 3 |
| Desmond stole second, Desmond safe at third on throwing error by catcher McCann. | 7 | 3 |
| Mazara grounded out to second. | 7 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Matt Bush pitching for Texas | TEX | NYY |
| Refsnyder singled to center. | 7 | 3 |
| Ellsbury walked, Refsnyder to second. | 7 | 3 |
| Dyson relieved Bush. | 7 | 3 |
| Gardner singled to center, Refsnyder to third, Ellsbury to second, Refsnyder scored on error by center fielder Desmond. | 7 | 4 |
| Rodriguez lined out to second. | 7 | 4 |
| McCann homered to right (381 feet), Ellsbury and Gardner scored. | 7 | 7 |
| Castro walked. | 7 | 7 |
| Gregorius homered to right (365 feet), Castro scored. | 7 | 9 |
| 6 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
Texas Rangers
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choo RF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | .273 | .404 | .429 |
| Desmond CF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | .322 | .377 | .528 |
| Mazara LF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | .287 | .339 | .437 |
| Beltré 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .284 | .333 | .464 |
| Fielder DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | .221 | .293 | .351 |
| Odor 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .271 | .292 | .486 |
| Andrus SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | .284 | .339 | .394 |
| Moreland 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | .227 | .295 | .416 |
| Chirinos C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | .184 | .298 | .469 |
| Totals | 36 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 159 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Fielder (15, Tanaka); Mazara (7, Tanaka) HR: Odor (15, 6th inning off Tanaka 0 on, 0 Out); Beltré (12, 8th inning off Cessa 0 on, 0 Out) RBI: Andrus (34), Mazara 3 (35), Fielder (41), Odor (39), Beltré (52) Rangers RISP: 3-6 (Andrus 1-1, Fielder 1-1, Odor 0-1, Beltré 0-1, Mazara 1-2) Team LOB: 5 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Desmond (14, 2nd base off Cessa/McCann) CS: Andrus (6, 2nd base by Tanaka/McCann) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Desmond (6, bobble) DP: 1 (Beltré-Odor-Moreland). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Yankee Stadium, New York, NY |
| Attendance | 39,875 (80.3% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:19 |
| Weather | 81 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Mark Wegner, First Base - Alan Porter, Second Base - John Tumpane, Third Base - Paul Nauert |
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