ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — After giving up five runs in the first inning, the New York Yankees made it up for it real fast.
Brendan Ryan doubled twice with three RBIs and Didi Gregorius had a bases-loaded triple in New York’s 11-run second inning as the Yankees overcame the Texas Rangers 21-5 on Tuesday night.
Chris Young started the big inning with a double and scored the first of his two runs in the frame when Chase Headley had the first of his two RBI singles in the inning. Young added his fourth career grand slam in the third.
A day after his 40th birthday, Alex Rodriguez had an RBI double off the top of the 14-foot wall in left field to make it 6-5 and chase starter Martin Perez (0-2).
The AL East-leading Yankees won for the eighth time in nine games, and are majors-best 16-5 in July — matching their most wins in a month since August 2013.
New York scored its most runs since a 22-9 win against Oakland on Aug. 25, 2011, and surpassed Baltimore’s 19-3 win over Philadelphia on June 16 for the most runs by a big league team in a game this season.
It was the most runs given up by the Rangers since their 21-8 loss to Seattle on May 30, 2012.
Young finished with three hits and five RBIs, adding an RBI double in the sixth. Gregorius had a career-high four hits, a night after three hits and a career-best four RBIs in the series-opening 6-2 victory.
Brett Gardner scored five runs, including a two-run homer in the ninth off Adam Rosales, the Rangers utility infielder pitching for the second time this season.
The Rangers, who have lost 12 of their last 13 home games, didn’t have a hit after their five-run first, when they had three hits and benefited from five walks by Chris Capuano. Adam Warren pitched three innings for his first save this year.
Right-hander Diego Moreno (1-0), recalled earlier Tuesday for his second stint with the Yankees this season, retired 16 of the 17 batters he faced in 5 1-3 innings. The 28-year-old rookie right-hander struck out five and walked one after taking over for Capuano with two outs in the first.
Every Yankees starter scored, and Mark Teixeira was the only one without a hit and an RBI. Teixeira was 0 for 3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch before being lifted for a pinch runner in the sixth.
Perez allowed eight runs in his third start since Tommy John surgery last year, and Wandy Rodriguez gave up seven runs in his one inning.
The only other team to have two pitchers in the same game who allowed at least seven runs in an inning or less was Toronto in a 23-1 loss to Baltimore on Sept. 28, 2000.
New York sent 15 batters to the plate in the second, its highest-scoring inning since a 12-run first in a 17-3 win against Baltimore on July 30, 2011. The franchise record is 14 runs in the fifth inning of a 17-0 win against Washington on July 6, 1920.
Texas had last allowed 11 runs in an inning April 23, 2008, against Detroit. The Tigers’ 13 runs in an inning on Aug. 8, 2001, are the most allowed by the Rangers. Both of those were 19-6 wins for Detroit.
TRAINER’S ROOM:
Yankees: RHP Ivan Nova pitched only five innings in the series opener Monday because of arm fatigue, in only his sixth start since Tommy John surgery in April 2014. Manager Joe Girardi says he’s less concerned after Nova reported feeling normal when he woke up Tuesday, and that Nova is still on track to make his next scheduled start Sunday.
UP NEXT:
Yankees: Mashairo Tanaka (7-3, 3.64) tries to win his fourth consecutive start. The Japanese right-hander is the first Yankees pitcher since April 2013 to win at least three consecutive starts when pitching at least seven innings.
Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis (10-4), only the fifth Texas pitcher with at least five 10-win seasons, goes for his seventh win since June 5.