Double Plays, Defensive Excellence Highlight Victory: Rangers 5 Yankees 3

A superb mix of well-timed double plays by the Rangers and wild pitches and walks by the Yankees led to a 5-3 victory in the Bronx for the defending American League Champion Rangers in their first visit to New York since the playoffs.

The Rangers’ infield of Adrian Beltre, Michael Young, Mitch Moreland and Elvis Andrus induced six double plays, the last of which went 4-6-3 in the seventh, tying their team record, and the six double plays the Yankees hit into set a new record for one of baseball’s oldest franchises. The 1-6-3 double play in the fifth, grounded into by Derek Jeter illustrated the quick reflexes of the Rangers’ young infield. An All-Star shortstop, Andrus jumped inches into the cold New York air to glove a high throw from pitcher Matt Harrison and successfully get the ball to first base before Jeter. The 22-year-old shortstop was literally in the middle of five of the six twin killings. Much of the series against the Yankees brings about the dynamic of youth versus veterans. Ex: Andrus vs. Jeter; Moreland vs. Teixeira.

For the third start in a row, Matt Harrison looked like a truly transformed pitcher after he failed to make the postseason roster last season. Although he allowed 10 base runners on seven hits and three walks, Harrison completed eight innings and surrendered just a solo home run to Curtis Granderson in the eighth and a run resulting from a Nelson Cruz error in the third. Harrison isn’t shaken when runners get on base because he has a newfound level of confidence in himself and in his fielders, who made the necessary plays with ease Friday night.

In an unusual line score, the Rangers tallied five runs on just four hits off Ivan Nova. But he walked five batters and showed and propensity for balls in the dirt and wild pitches. In the top of the fifth, Nova threw three wild pitches, hit a batter and walked three more. This craziness resulted in three runs crossing the plate in the inning despite only one hit, an RBI single from Michael Young. That was Young'a second hit on the night following his 353rd career double, also for an RBI, in the third. With that trip to second base, he surpassed Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez for the most doubles in franchise history.

Neftali Feliz gave up a run in the ninth on a double, single and walk. For now, he and Harrison sport the same ERA of 1.23.