Times wires
Friday, April 15, 2011
NEW YORK — Undefeated Matt Harrison and Texas tied an AL record by turning six double plays and the Rangers picked up where they left off in October, beating the Yankees 5-3 Friday night.
The teams played for the first time since Texas battered the Yankees to win last year's AL Championship Series in six games. The Rangers won this time with pitching, thanks to Harrison and his sure-handed fielders.
Texas turned double plays on grounders by the first six hitters in the New York lineup: Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, and Andruw Jones.
This was the 15th time an AL team made six double plays in a game. The major-league mark for double plays in a game is seven by San Francisco in 1969.
Harrison has pitched at least seven innings in every start this season.
Even when the Yankees threatened in the eighth, after Curtis Granderson's homer and Jeter's single, manager Ron Washington stuck with Harrison. Swisher promptly bounced into the final double play.