Rangers avoid 4-game sweep, beating Yankees 10-6

NEW YORK – These romps around the bases fit the Texas Rangers just fine.

Craig Gentry turned a spot start into a tiebreaking hit and the Rangers avoided a four-game sweep in a matchup of AL division leaders, rallying past the New York Yankees 10-6 Thursday.

Texas had lost eight straight at Yankee Stadium overall. The high-scoring Rangers had done little in this series, too, totaling only four runs before getting 16 hits in the finale.

"I don't know about putting up 10 runs every night," manager Ron Washington said. "It's certainly the offense I expect to see most nights."

Gentry started for the first time in two weeks, and his two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning put the Rangers ahead 7-5. Adrian Beltre also had three RBIs, and Josh Hamilton doubled twice and scored three times.

"We know what we're capable of," said David Murphy, who contributed three hits.

Taking no chances, Washington summoned closer Joe Nathan for the first time in more than a week to finish it out in a non-save situation.

Ichiro Suzuki got three hits for the Yankees, who had won seven of eight.

Texas tagged starter Ivan Nova and a shaky New York bullpen.

"It's going to happen. Our guys aren't going to be perfect out there," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Texas took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before both teams broke loose with the bats. It was a seesaw from then on, with the Yankees rallying for a 5-4 lead before the Rangers came back with three in the seventh.

Murphy hit a tying RBI double off Boone Logan (4-1) and, after an intentional walk that loaded the bases, Gentry lined a tiebreaking single up the middle off Joba Chamberlain.

Gentry delivered his first hit since July 29 and tied a career best for RBIs. Working out and staying fresh is the key to being ready, he said.

"Definitely don't mentally shut it down," Gentry said.

The Yankees closed to 7-6 in the bottom half on Mark Teixeira's RBI grounder. Reliever Michael Kirkman struck out Andruw Jones, who'd homered the previous inning, with runners at the corners to prevent further damage.

Beltre added a sacrifice fly and Geovany Soto hit an RBI single in the eighth off a struggling Chamberlain.

"There's some inconsistency. He'll make some really good pitches and then miss his spot," Girardi said.

Down 4-0, the Yankees once again picked on Derek Holland while rallying for five runs in the sixth.

Batting cleanup for the first time this season, Jones tied it with a two-out, two-run homer that umpires confirmed on video review. Texas third baseman Beltre pointed foul the whole time Jones rounded the bases, but the replay showed the ball clearly landed several feet inside the left-field foul pole.

Rookie right fielder Mike Olt then dropped Casey McGehee's fly for a two-base error and Russell Martin met reliever Tanner Scheppers with a go-ahead single.

Holland began the afternoon 0-5 with a 9.26 ERA against the Yankees in regular-season play, though he has beaten them in relief during the playoffs.

Scheppers (1-0) won his first big league decision.

The no-decision left Nova with one win in his last seven starts. In trouble early, he struck out Hamilton on three pitches with the bases loaded and no outs in the third and escaped that jam without allowing a run.

NOTES: Yankees 2B Robinson Cano didn't start for the second straight day because of a stiff neck. He walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth and pulled into third on a double by Suzuki — some fans thought Cano could've scored on the play. ... 2B Ian Kinsler and RF Nelson Cruz didn't start, with Washington trying to rest them. Cruz pinch hit and stayed in to play right field. ... Derek Jeter's RBI single in the Yankees sixth extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Rangers RHP Yu Darvish turned 26. He is set to start Friday night in Toronto. He is seeking his 13th win, which would set a team record for rookies. ... Yankees RHP Phil Hughes starts Friday night at home against Boston.