Paul Goldschmidt’s pinch-hit solo home run in the seventh inning was the difference as the New York Yankees held on for a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday afternoon to salvage the finale of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
The Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak and finished their six-contest road trip to Miami and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with one victory.
Goldschmidt’s round-tripper over the left-field fence against Texas left-hander Robert Garcia (1-7) put New York in front for good.
Mark Leiter Jr. (5-6), in his second appearance since being reinstated from the injured list on Tuesday, was the beneficiary of Goldschmidt’s homer after pitching a perfect sixth inning.
Tim Hill and Yerry De los Santos each worked 2/3 of an inning for New York before the newly acquired David Bednar pitched the final 1 2/3 innings. Bednar worked through a two-on, two-out situation in the ninth to earn his 18th save of the season.
Ezequiel Duran had three hits to lead the Rangers, who had an eight-game home winning streak snapped. Six different batters had the six hits for New York, including a single by Aaron Judge, his first hit since returning from the IL on Tuesday.
The Rangers grabbed the lead in the third inning, with Duran leading off the frame with a double and then coming across on a single by Sam Haggerty.
New York leapfrogged in front in the fourth inning off Texas starter Jack Leiter. Cody Bellinger and Jasson Dominguez walked, and Bellinger scored on a one-out single by Anthony Volpe that also allowed Dominguez to reach second base.
Dominguez and Volpe followed with a double steal, with Dominguez sprinting home to make it 2-1 when the throw to third by Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka got away.
Texas took advantage of some wildness from Yankees starter Carlos Rodon to knot up the game 2-2 in the fifth. Duran reached on an infield single, which was followed by a walk to Haggerty and a bloop single by Corey Seager. Marcus Semien then lifted a sacrifice fly to center that brought home Duran.
That set the stage for Goldschmidt, who blasted a 395-foot homer to left field to put the Yankees ahead for good.
–Field Level Media
