Yankees Force Game 6 in Arlington

The Texas Rangers are still just one win away from reaching their very first World Series, but the New York Yankees aren't going away that easily.

After being outscored 25-5 by the Rangers and losing three straight games, the Yankees battled back in Game 5 for a 7-2 victory to force a Game 6 in Arlington Friday night.

And I'll tell you what: if Yankees fans aren't leaving the ballpark early, they're showing up three innings late. What gives? Those people missed 90 percent of the excitement when their Bronx Bombers put up three runs in the second before Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano jacked back-to-back homers in the third to build an early 5-0 lead.

Meanwhile, CC Sabathia was getting hit all over the place, but managed to keep the damage to just two runs via Matt Treanor while allowing eleven hits and striking out seven over six innings.

Maybe it was Yankees skipper Joe Girardi's encouraging words for his club:

Before we lost the three games in a row, we won four in a row.

Phil Hughes will take the hill for the Yankees against Colby Lewis at 8:07pm ET Friday night, but if he can't bring a pennant to Arlington, The Amazing Cliff Lee will have a shot opposite Andy Pettitte in Game 7 Saturday night.

Either way, the Rangers may be without outfielder Nelson Cruz, who made an early exit due to that pesky hamstring issue of his, which landed him on the disabled list three times during the regular season. However, Cruz says he's "really sure" he's going to play. Good thing he has a day off in between.

[Dallas Morning News] | [New York Times]