On the Yankees beat

Good evening baseball fans. Marcus Henry is here to carry you through the third and final game of the Yankees three-game set with the Texas Rangers. The term "must-win" is used much too often in sports. But it may apply for the Yankees. With the Boston Red Sox coming to town for four games beginning Thursday and the Tampa Bay Rays in after that, the Yankees must avoid getting swept at all costs.

Yankees (44-40) vs. Texas Rangers (44-41), 7:05 p.m.

Starters: Sidney Ponson (5-1, 3.50) for the Yankees and Luis Mendoza (1-2, 5.40) for the Rangers.

Last starts: Ponson was a suprise and then some for the Yankees in his last start against the Mets. The 6-1 righthander was sharp as tossed six innings of scoreless baseball. He struck out four and scattered five hits in the Yankees 9-0 win. The Yankees have received solid starting performances in their last five games. Manager Joe Girardi is hoping Ponson can keep it going against his former team. Luis Mendoza making is first start since Apri 23. In three starts this season Mendoza has surrendered 16 runs (10 earned) in 16.2 innings and sported a bloated 9.31 ERA. Mendoza has since spent time on the DL due to right shoulder inflammation and was optioned to the minors. Since re-joining the club on June 21, Mendoza has tossed seven scoreless innings in relief.

Good times, bad times: The good; Finding something good to talk about regarding the Yankees isn't easy. Scoring seven runs in four games just won't get it done. But the offense is due for a breakout game and this is the perfect night for it. Ponson, believe it or not, has to be considered a bright spot. He earned a little favor when he shut out the Mets for six innings last Friday. The bad; Offense, offense, offense. Or better yet, a lack there of. The Yankees need to score runs. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

See you after the top of the first.

Top 1st: Ian Kinsler flied out to center for the first out. Michael Young grounded out to second. Josh Hamilton flied out to deep center. Three up and three down.
Yankees 0, Rangers 0

Bottom 1st: Johnny Damon grounded out to deep short for the first out. Derek Jeter grounded out to short. Bobby Abreu grounded out to second to end the inning.
Yankees 0, Rangers 0

Top 2nd:: Milton Bradley flied out to center. Gardner is getting a nice workout so far for the Yankees. Frank Catalanotto legged out a double hit to the rightfield corner. Chris Davis lined out to shortstop. Max Ramirez lined out to thirdbase, stranding Catalanotto at second.
Yankees 0, Rangers 0:

Bottom 2nd:: Alex Rodriguez singles to left to lead off the inning. Jason Giambi flied out to left. Jorge Posada grounded out to second for out number two, Rodriguez moved to second. Robinson Cano doubles to right centerfield, scoring Rodriguez. And the Yankees finally get a hit with a runner in scoring position. Wilson Betemit grounded out to first for the final out. But the Yankees lead.
Yankees 1, Rangers 0

Top 3:
Brandon Boggs hit a bloop single to short left. German Duran flied out to centerfield for the first out. Kinsler hit a bloop single to center, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. Boggs moved to second. Michael Young doubled down the rightfield line, scoring Boggs. Kinsler moved to third. Hamilton singled to centerfield, scoring Kinsler and Young. Hamilton picked up RBIs 81 and 82. Bradley bounced into a 4-3 double play. But the Rangers scored three runs.
Rangers 3, Yankees 1

Bottom 3: Brett Gardner grounded out to shortstop for the first out. Damon singled to rightfield. Jeter reached on an error by Kinsler. It's the 16th error by Kinsler. Damon moved to second. Abreu flied out to right for the second out. Damon tagged and moved to third. Jeter stayed at first. The Yankees are 3 for their last 27 with runners in scoring position. Rodriguez walked to load the bases. Jason Giambi homered to right for a grand slam. Damon, Jeter and Rodriguez scored. It was Giambi's 13th grand slam. Posada grounded out to second. But the Yankees scored four on Giambi's grand slam.
Yankees 5, Rangers 3

Top 4: Catalanotto singled to left to lead off the fourth. Davis grounded into a 4-6-3 double play for the first and second out. Ramirez struck out for the third out.
Yankees 5, Rangers 3

Bottom 4: Cano grounded out to the pitcher for the first out. Betemit grounded out to second. Gardner was robbed of a hit as he lined out to the pitcher for the third out. Gardner is 0-for-8.
Yankees 5, Rangers 3

Top 5: Boggs walked to lead off the inning. Duran grounded out to the pitcher for the first out. Boggs moved to second. Kinsler walked. Ramon Vazquez is pinch-hitting for Michael Young. No reason has been given for the move yet. Vazquez lined to second for a double play. Kinsler was double off at first. It was third straight inning the Yankees have turned a double play.
Yankees 5, Rangers 3:

Bottom 5: Damon lined out to the pitcher for the first out. Jeter walked. Abreu grounded into a fielder's choice. Jeter was forced at second for the second out. Rodriguez reached on an error by the third baseman. Abreu moved to second. That's 76 errors on the Rangers this year. By far the most in MLB. Giambi was hit by a pitch for the 14th time this season to load the bases. Mendoza is being lifted by Rangers manager Ron Washington. Joaquin Benoit will face Jorge Posada. Posada walked, to force in a run. Abreu scored. Cano grounded out to first baseman Davis, who made a diving stop for third stop.
Yankees 6, Rangers 3

Top 6: Hamilton walked to lead off the inning. Bradley belted a two-run homer to right, scoring Hamilton. Catalanotto singled off the pitcher. Chris Davis hit a two-run homer, scoring Catalanotto. Ponson is lifted for Edwar Ramirez. Texas leads 7-6. Ramirez struck out Max Ramirez for the first out. Boggs grounded out to third baseman Rodriguez, who made a diving stop, for the second out. Duran struck out for the final out.
Ponson's line: 7IP, 9H, 7R, 3BB, 1K.
Rangers 7, Yankees 6:

Bottom 6: Betemit walked to lead off the inning. Gardner walked, Betemit moved to second. Damon lined out to left for the first out. Jeter grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Rangers 7,Yankees 6

Top 7: Kinsler grounded out (bunt) to the pitcher for the first out. Vasquez grounded out to first for the second out. Hamilton walked. Bradley struck out swinging.
Rangers 7, Yankees 6

Bottom 7: Warner Madrigal is pitching for the Rangers. Abreu hit a gound-rule double to left. Rodriguez walked. Giambi doubled to left centerfield, scoring Abreu and Rodriguez. The Yankees lead 8-7. It was Giambi's sixth RBI of the night. No one is warming up in the Rangers' pen. Posada doubled down the rightfield line, scoring Giambi to take a 9-7 lead. Cano singled to right, Posada moved to third. Jamey Wright is warming up in the bullpen for the Rangers. Betemit grounded out to first for the first out, but picked up an RBI scoring Posada. The Yankees lead 10-7. Cano moved to second. Cano moved to second on a wild pitch by Madrigal. Brett Gardner singled home Cano for his first hit and RBI as a Yankee. The Yankees lead 11-7. Madrigal was lifted by Washington for Wright. Gardner stole second base with Damon batting. Damon singled to left, scoring Gardner. Damon moved to second on the throw home. The Yankees lead 12-7. Jeter grounded to second for the second out. Damon moved to third. Abreu walked. Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to opposite field, scoring Damon and Abreu. It was Rodriguez' 535th home run. He's one away from tying Mickey Mantle. The Yankees lead 15-7. Giambi grounded out to second, but not before the Yankees scored a season-nine runs in the inning.
Yankees 15, Rangers 7

Top 8: Kyle Farnsworth is pitching, Jose Molina is behind the plate and Alberto Gonzalez is in at third for the Yankees. Catalanotto walked. Davis fouled out to third. Ramirez grounded into a fielder's choice. Catalanotto was forced at second, 4-6, for the second out. Boggs walked. Duran struck out looking.
Yankees 15, Rangers 7

Bottom 8: Molina, in for Posada, singled to left. Cano lined out to second for the first out. Betemit singled to right. Molina moved to second. Gardner grounded into a fielder's choice. Betemit was forced at second, 3-6, for the second out. Molina moved to third. Damon singled to right, scoring Molina. Gardner moved to second. The Yankees lead, 16-7. The 16 runs are a season high. Jeter singled to right. Gardner moved to third, Damon to second. Every Yankee starter has a hit. Abreu singled to centerfield, scoring Gardner and Damon. The Yankees lead 18-7. Jeter moved to second. Gonzalez flied out to right for the third out.
Yankees 18, Rangers 7

Top 9: Hawkins is pitching. Kinsler flied out to centerfield for the first out. Vasquez flied out to left. Hamilton grounded out to second for the final out.
Final score: Yankees 18, Rangers 7

The 18 runs is a season high in runs. Five Yankees had two or more RBIs, including Giambi, who had six RBIs. The Yankees begin a key four-game set against the Red Sox Thursday at the Stadium. Good night everyone.