Swisher Slam Lifts Yanks Over Rangers 8-2, Lowe Stellar In Debut

The Yankees (68-47) opened a four game series with the AL West leading Texas Rangers (67-47) at Yankee Stadium on Monday night and the Yankees offensive power was in full effect in their 8-2 victory. The Yankees hammered on trade deadline pickup Ryan Dempster in his third start for the Rangers.

After the Rangers scored a run in the first inning on a Nelson Cruz RBI single and another run in the second when David Murphy hit solo home run Yankees starter David Phelps settled down and threw three shutout innings while the Yankees put runs on the board.  Phelps pitched five innings gave up two runs on six hits and struck out three.

The Yankees big inning came in the third when Nick Swisher stepped in with the bases loaded and crushed a grand slam over the right field wall putting the Yanks up 4-2. It was Swisher’s 15^th home run of the season and the 200^th of his career.  The Yankees would end up loading the bases again in the inning and scored another run when Curtis Granderson hit a long RBI sac-fly to dead center field.

In the sixth Eric Chavez unloaded on a Dempster fastball hitting it into the right field bleachers putting the Yankees up 6-2. It was Chavez 13^th of the season.

In the seventh inning the Yankees added two more. Ichiro led off the inning tripling which led to a Derek Jeter RBI double. The next batter Nick Swisher then laced a single back up the middle making the score 8-2.

Newly acquired Derek Lowe was phenomenal in his debut with the Yankees picking up a four shutout inning save in relief of Phelps.  In his four innings of work Lowe only allowed two hits, no walks and struck out four.

The Yankees will host the Rangers again on Tuesday evening. Matt Harrison (13-6 3.31) will start for the Rangers while Hiroki Kuroda (10-8 3.24) will pitch for the Yankees. Pregame coverage begins at 6:30, first pitch at 7:05 right here on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio.