The Yankees fell to the Rangers 9-4 on Saturday night at Globe Life Park in Arlington. >> Box score
Five takeaways from Saturday's game...
1) Luis Severino got the start for the Yankees on Saturday, but the team used him sparingly. The right-hander went just three innings, allowing two earned runs. He struck out four, but he also walked four while throwing 72 pitches. It wasn't the best start for Severino as he prepares for October baseball.
2) The Yankees offense was very quiet for the most part on Saturday night, as they only managed seven hits off of Rangers pitching. Aaron Judge got things started on the right track in the first inning, though, as he tripled to left-center. He'd come around to score the first run of the game for the Yankees. He went 1-for-3 on the night with a strikeout and two left on base.
3) Brett Gardner drove Judge in with a sacrifice fly, giving the Bombers an early 1-0 lead. It was Gardner's 74th RBI of the season, extending what was already a career high in that category.
4) After Severino came out of the game, the Yankees once again mixed and matched their way through the bullpen for the remainder of the night. The sixth inning was a sore sport for Yankees pitching, as Luis Cessa allowed four earned runs in the frame before being pulled for Nestor Cortes Jr., who also allowed two runs of his own.
5) Trailing 9-1 in the top of the ninth inning, the Yankees refused to go down quietly. After loading the bases with two outs, Didi Gregorius stung a double to right to clear them, scoring three runs and bringing the Yankees within five. Next up, Gio Urshela popped up to end the game.
What's next
The Yankees and Rangers play the final game of their three-game set on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. The Yankees will likely use an opener before handing the ball over to Masahiro Tanaka. The Rangers will start righty Lance Lynn.