Sabathia helps Yankees fend off ALCS elimination
CC Sabathia didn't have his dominant stuff but tossed a quality outing regardless, and Curtis Granderson went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI to help the New York Yankees stay alive in the American League Championship Series with a 7-2, Game 5 victory over the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers put the Yankees on the brink of elimination with three consecutive victories after blowing a 5-0 lead in the series opener, but New York was able to pull within a three games to two deficit despite getting outhit, 13-9, on Wednesday.
Sabathia (2-0) scattered 11 hits and two runs with no walks, striking out seven in a must-win start. The Rangers had runners on base in each of his six innings on the mound, but the Cy Young Award candidate was able to work out of jams, as Texas finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
"We could have gotten a couple of hits to put some crooked numbers on the board," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "But you have to give them credit. They won today, we didn't give it to them."
Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano also homered for the Yankees, while Jorge Posada went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI for the defending World Series champions. " But you have to give them credit. They won today, we didn't give it to them." Ron Washington
C.J. Wilson (1-1) was roughed up for six runs — five earned — on six hits and four walks in five innings for Texas, which is one win away from its first Fall Classic appearance.
