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Fielder Hits 2 Homers, Rangers Top Yankees for 3rd Win in Row

Prince Fielder launched two long homers, drove in four runs and helped the Texas Rangers hold off the New York Yankees 10-9 Friday night for their third straight win.

Quickly down 7-0 and still trailing 10-5, New York rallied in the eighth inning on pinch hitter Garrett Jones' three-run homer.

Journeyman Ross Ohlendorf took over to begin the ninth, gave up a one-out home run to Mark Teixeira and walked Chase Headley with two outs. Stephen Drew followed with a comebacker that glanced off Ohlendorf, and second baseman Tommy Field swooped in to get the out at first.

Ohlendorf wound up with his first career save. Shawn Tolleson earned saves the previous two days for Texas and didn't warm up.

Back home after a 2-7 trip, the Yankees watched Fielder's three-run shot sail into the second deck during a seven-run burst in the third inning. A throwing error by Michael Pineda (5-2) and a misplay by shortstop Didi Gregorius set up homers by Fielder and Mitch Moreland.

Fielder added his seventh homer this year in the seventh for an 8-4 lead. Before the game, the Yankees played historic highlights on their videoboard, including a clip of his dad, Cecil, contributing as they won 1996 World Series.

Fielder kept up his recent tear, connecting for his 26th career multihomer game and first since April 5, 2013. Sidelined most of last year after neck surgery, the burly slugger is hitting .364 with five homers and 13 RBIs in his last 11 games.

Alex Rodriguez got his 1,992nd RBI, tying Babe Ruth for fourth place on the all-time list. The Yankees cited the Elias Sports Bureau, the statistician of Major League Baseball, and said A-Rod was one behind Lou Gehrig for third. The RBI stat became official in 1920.

Rodriguez doubled early, and his single with two outs in the seventh finished Colby Lewis (4-2). The 35-year-old righty threw only one pitch of his 105 over 90 mph, and was tagged by Gregorius' three-run homer in the fourth.

Field doubled, singled and drove in two runs for Texas. Yet it was his sacrifice bunt that caused real trouble for the Yankees, with Pineda looking toward a possible forceout at third before throwing wide to first, loading the bases with no outs.

Delino DeShields followed with a grounder in the hole that Gregorius tried to backhand, but the ball bounced him for a two-run error. After Shin-Soo Choo hit an RBI single, Fielder homered deep to right field. One batter later, Moreland homered to almost the same spot.

Slade Heathcott hustled for a double for his first big league hit, later singled and also reached on a rare catcher's interference call for the Yankees. Gregorius and Jones hit their first homers for New York.

In the ninth inning, a little chant of "Let's go, Rangers!" broke out. It was for another set of Rangers -- New York's team in the NHL playoffs, taking on Tampa Bay.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: 1B/OF Kyle Blanks was put on the 15-day DL after being treated for a cyst near his tailbone. OF Jake Smolinski came up from Triple-A.

Yankees: OF Jacoby Ellsbury (knee sprain) was set to see the Yankees' doctor. He was put on the disabled list Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Saturday starter Nick Martinez (3-0, 1.88) played two seasons of college ball 3 miles from Yankee Stadium. The 24-year-old righty was 1-3 with a 5.54 ERA in 15 relief appearances at Fordham.

Yankees: CC Sabathia (2-5, 4.67) has won two straight starts after a tough beginning.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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