ALCS Game 5: Rangers at Yankees

Photo courtesy New York Yankees

The Rangers have three shots to clinch the pennant, beginning today at Yankee Stadium.

The Texas Rangers could be celebrating their first-ever American League pennant by sundown. Stop and let that one soak in for a few minutes.

Up 3-1 over the Yankees in the ALCS, the Rangers need only to win one of the next three games to advance to the World Series. But they're not thinking in those terms. They want to finish this thing off today at Yankee Stadium. In order to do that, they'll need to topple CC Sabathia.

One advantage for Texas: Mark Teixeira has officially been removed from New York's roster after pulling his right hamstring last night. Teixeira is now ineligible to return, even if the Yankees wind up in the World Series. Infielder Eduardo Nunez has replaced him on the roster. Robinson Cano has replaced him in the 3-hole, with Lance Berkman starting at first base today...

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES — GAME 5

TEXAS RANGERS at NEW YORK YANKEES

Where: Yankee Stadium

Gametime: 4:07 p.m.

TV: TBS Radio: WTNT-570 AM

Weather: Partly cloudy, 61 degrees

RANGERS
SS Elvis Andrus
3B Michael Young
CF Josh Hamilton
DH Vladimir Guerrero
LF Nelson Cruz
2B Ian Kinsler
RF Jeff Francoeur
C Matt Treanor
1B Mitch Moreland
(P C.J. Wilson)

YANKEES
SS Derek Jeter
RF Nick Swisher
2B Robinson Cano
3B Alex Rodriguez
DH Marcus Thames
1B Lance Berkman
C Jorge Posada
CF Curtis Granderson
LF Brett Gardner
(P CC Sabathia)

4:50 p.m. -- The Yankees have life after all. They just scored three runs in the bottom of the second, thanks to some long-awaited clutch hits from the bottom of their lineup. Posada and Granderson each came up with big RBI hits, and some ugly defense from Francoeur and Wilson helped the cause. New York leads 3-0 after two.

5:15 p.m. -- Make it 5-0 after back-to-back third inning homers from Swisher and Cano. C.J. Wilson really has not looked sharp today, hasn't been able to locate his fastball at all, which has forced him to rely on his breaking stuff more than he probably wants. If Sabathia can't hold a five-run lead, the Yankees don't deserve to win this series.

5:45 p.m. -- Whether this series ends tonight (which looks unlikely) or continues in Texas this weekend, the Yankees can't be happy with their inability to handle the bottom of the Rangers lineup. Matt Treanor, yes the backup catcher, homered off Sabathia to open the fifth and trim the deficit to 5-1. Combined with Bengie Molina and others, Texas' 7-9 hitters have been pretty productive in this series and have played a significant role.

7:58 p.m. -- It's over. Yankees win 7-2, so the series heads back to Texas. Game 6 is Friday night at 8:07 p.m., with Colby Lewis facing Phil Hughes.