Rangers 7, Yankees 6
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Josh Hamilton's two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Texas Rangers to a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night at Globe Life Park.
The Rangers (49-52) split the four-game series against the American League East leaders on Hamilton's second walk-off hit of the season and ninth of his career. Hamilton hit a three-run homer in the first inning.
In the ninth, Hamilton sent a pitch from Yankees closer Andrew Miller to right, plating center fielder Leonys Martin and giving Texas its first home winning streak since June 15-16.
The Yankees (57-44) won the first two games of the series by a combined score of 27-7. New York is 4-3 on its 10-game road trip that wraps up with three games in Chicago against the White Sox starting Friday.
The Yankees led on three different occasions and couldn't take advantage of first baseman Mark Teixeira's two home runs, including a two-out solo blast to center in the seventh for a 6-5 lead.
The Rangers tied it in the bottom of the inning when first baseman Prince Fielder's infield grounder scored catcher Robinson Chirinos.
Texas closer Shawn Tolleson (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the win.
New York reliever Nick Goody (0-1) got the loss after walking the leadoff batter in the bottom of the ninth.
The Yankees got to Texas starter Yovani Gallardo early by scoring three runs in the first, the second coming on Teixeira's solo shot to center.
The Rangers used a pair of long balls to right field against off New York starter CC Sabathia to go up 4-3. Hamilton hit a three-run bomb in the first, and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo opened the following inning with a towering drive into the upper deck.
The Yankees leapfrogged ahead 5-4 on catcher Brian McCann's two-run home run to right in the third.
Another round-tripper, this of the inside-the-park variety, tied the game 5-5 in the fourth.
Texas left fielder Ryan Rua drilled a sinking line drive that got under the glove of hard-charging and diving center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. The ball rolled to the wall, and Rua beat the relay home with a head-first slide.
Gallardo wound up allowing five runs in six innings, while Sabathia gave up five runs in five-plus innings.
NOTES: The Yankees placed RHP Michael Pineda, the scheduled Thursday starter, on the 15-day disabled list due to a right flexor forearm muscle strain. LHP CC Sabathia started in Pineda's place. New York also promoted RHP Bryan Mitchell from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... LHP Cole Hamels is in line to start Saturday for Texas against San Francisco once the multiplayer trade is approved by the commissioner's office. LHP Matt Harrison, part of the Hamels deal, could start for Philadelphia the same night. ... Rangers RHP Shawn Tolleson has all 18 of his saves since May 20, which is tied with Baltimore LHP Zach Britton for the most in the American League during that span.