Yankees Swept By Rangers, Hold Slim Lead Over Rays

(AP) Cliff Lee allowed two hits while pitching into the ninth inning in his return from a back injury and Julio Borbon beat out a drag bunt for a go-ahead single, carrying the Texas Rangers to a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees and a sweep of the series between division leaders.

Lee (11-8) didn't give up a hit for 5 1-3 innings, facing the minimum in that stretch. Both hits and the lone run came in the sixth inning. He retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings, then was pulled after walking Derek Jeter opening the ninth.

Neftali Perez struck out the next three batters for his 36th save in 39 chances, completing the first three-game sweep of the Yankees this year. He's one shy of the major league saves record for a rookie.

Texas won its fifth straight since losing five in a row, pushing the Rangers closer to their first AL West title since 1999.

New York lost for the sixth time in seven games but maintained a half-game lead in the AL East because second-place Tampa Bay lost 5-4 to Toronto.

Yankees starter Dustin Moseley (4-3) was just as stingy as Lee during his first two times through the Texas order but couldn't keep it going.

Given a 1-0 lead in the sixth, he allowed a run in the bottom of the inning without a hit - a walk by Elvis Andrus, a steal, a fly ball and a fielder's choice in which Andrus beat a throw to the plate. The Rangers broke it open with three runs in the seventh, starting with Borbon's surprise bunt and a headfirst slide that beat Moseley to the bag while Ian Kinsler scored easily from third.

The pitching duel was quite a finish to a tight, tense series between potential first-round playoff foes.

Texas Rangers won the opener 6-5 in 13 innings, then won 7-6 Saturday night when Yankees closer Mariano Rivera hit a batter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The series drew 137,396 fans, the second-most for a three-game series in Rangers history.

The first two games were taxing for everyone as they lasted a combined 9-plus hours while burning through 33 pitchers. So both starters went out knowing they had to soak up innings.

Moseley lasted 6 2-3, getting tagged for four runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out one.

Lee threw 109 pitches, striking out five and walking three. Yes, three - his most since Sept. 15 of last season. The first and last were to Derek Jeter.

Lee hadn't pitched since Aug. 31, and hadn't been sharp since Aug. 6. He also wasn't dominating at first, walking Jeter then throwing another ball to Curtis Granderson.

Then Granderson hit a chopper back to the mound and Lee started a double play, quite a feat considering Granderson's speed.

That did it.

Lee struck out Mark Teixeira looking to end the first inning, then needed only seven pitches to retire the side in the second. Jeter worked another full count in the fourth, but grounded out. Marcus Thames swung through a full-count fastball that was near the top of the strike zone on the outside part of the plate.

Lee retired 15 straight before Eduardo Nunez, who started in place of Alex Rodriguez, hit a line drive to center field for the first ball out of the infield against Lee. Jeter drove in Nunez with a single to right.

Texas' Vladimir Guerrero was 2 for 4. He led off the second with a double, but Moseley stranded him at third.

Andrus, Michael Young, David Murphy and Borbon each drove in a run.

NOTES: Lee only had seven unintentional walks in 11 previous starts for Texas. ... Moseley caught two pop flies, a surprise considering most pitchers usually let infielders take them. ... Elvis Andrus reached 30 steals for a second straight year, the first Rangers player to do so since Tom Goodwin in 1998-99. ... Murphy has hits in 11 straight games, matching his career high.

© 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.

Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.