Rangers Rally Past Yanks In 13th

Rusty Greer had so many big hits that he couldn't pick a favorite.

Greer drove in six runs, hitting a three-run homer in the eighth, a game-tying single in the ninth and a two-run shot in the 13th as the Texas Rangers overcame a five-run deficit and beat the New York Yankees 7-5 Thursday night.

"To me it doesn't matter," Greer said when asked for his most gratifying hit. "Anytime you come back it helps build momentum for your ballclub, it's going to build confidence. It's satisfying to win."

Thanks to Greer, who connected off Willie Banks (1-1) in the 13th, Texas won for only the fourth time in its last 20 games at Yankee Stadium since 1994.

"Rusty got the big hits, especially the one big hit in the ninth inning," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "Rusty had a very nice ballgame to say the least."

New York, which had been 11-1 at home this season, led 5-0 in the eighth inning before the bullpen faltered with Mike Stanton allowing a three-run homer to Greer, who matched his career high for RBIs.

"It was a situation where I made a bad pitch and he made me pay for it," said Stanton, who played with Texas for part of 1996. "I look at it as my loss. They're a very dangerous team. I know those guys."

Hideki Irabu, making his first home start this season, allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 1.11.

The Yankees lost for just the fourth time in 29 games, and Mariano Rivera blew a save chance for only the second time in 10 chances.

"You can't do it every night," said Yankees manager Joe Torre.

Greer hit a three-run homer off Mike Stanton in the eighth. Jeff Nelson then gave up a double to Juan Gonzalez and consecutive bloop singles to Will Clark and Ivan Rodriguez that pulled Texas to 5-4.

Pinch-hitter Luis Alicea singled off Rivera leading off the ninth, was sacrificed to second and scored on Greer's single.

Dan Patterson (1-1), the sixth of seven Texas pitchers, allowed one hit in two innings, and former-Yankee John Wetteland, the MVP of the 1996 World Series, pitched the 13th for his 11th save in 11 chances.

Rangers starter Darren Oliver allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings. Paul O'Neill's two-run single gave New York the lead in the third, and Chad Curtis opened the fourth with his fourth homer. Scott Brosius hit a two-run single in the sixth off Aan Levine.

Irabu gave up Mark McLemore's double in the first and Kevin Elster's infield single in the second before retiring 15 of the next 17 batters, including 12 in a row at one point. He struck out five and walked three, leaving with a 5-0 lead after 112 pitches.

"I was tired and my pitch count was up pretty high," Irabu said through an interpreter. "I really don't think about my luck being good and bad."

Irabu walked McLemore leading off the third but he was thrown out stealing. He did not allow another runner until Rodriguez singled with one out in the seventh.

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