Guzman Hits 3 Homers As Rangers Top Yankees 12-7
NEW YORK (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Ronald Guzman became the first rookie to hit three home runs in a game against the Yankees, powering the Texas Rangers past New York 12-7 on Friday night.
Eight days after Boston's Steve Pearce connected three times off the Yankees, Guzman duplicated the feat in ending New York's four-game winning streak.
Guzman grounded out his first time up, then hit solo home runs in three straight at-bats. The 23-year-old first baseman batted again in the eighth with a chance to tie the big league record for homers in a game — no rookie has ever hit four — but struck out swinging against Chad Green.
Guzman's two homers off Masahiro Tanaka and one off A.J. Cole made him the first Texas player to hit three home runs in a game since teammate Adrian Beltre in 2012. Guzman became the first Rangers rookie to accomplish the feat.
Overall, Guzman has 12 home runs this season, six against the Yankees.
Beltre also joined in the fun with his seventh homer of the season, tying recent Hall of Fame inductee Chipper Jones for the 33rd spot on baseball's all-time list with 469.
Mike Minor (9-6) won his third straight start, allowing six hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings. The lefty had not won three consecutive starts since September 2014 while pitching for the Atlanta Braves. He missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of a torn labrum.
Tanaka (9-3) had been 7-0 in his previous 14 starts, but again couldn't figure out the Rangers. He entered the night with having gone 1-2 with a 6.52 ERA in his first five starts against Texas.
Guzman pulled homers to right field in the fourth and the sixth that made it 6-1 and chased Tanaka. Guzman went the opposite way for a drive in the seventh off Cole.
Austin Romine, who drove in three runs, and Brett Gardner homered for the Yankees. Luke Voit added a two-run single.
The Rangers are 52-66 and currently in last place in the American League West division.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)