Trailing 5-0 coming into the top of the fourth, the Rangers knew they needed to start scoring soon. They'd been taking some good cuts against CC Sabathia; they just needed to start turning those cuts into runs.
Rangers Vs. Yankees, ALCS Game 5: CC Sabathia Keeps Working Out Of Trouble
And the situation looked somewhat promising when Nelson Cruz ripped a one-out double into the right-center gap. That put a runner in scoring position for the third consecutive inning, with the right-handed Ian Kinsler and Jeff Francoeur due up.
Kinsler, though, struck out when he couldn't hold up a check swing on a low slider. Francoeur then became the Rangers' last chance, and he sent a first-pitch grounder right to Derek Jeter, who threw to first for the final out.
It's still 5-0 Yankees after three and a half.
For the record, there was a scare in that fourth when Lance Berkman ran in pursuit of a foul pop-up and slipped onto his back. After a brief visit from the trainer, though, he stayed in the game, and replays showed that he didn't hit the back of his head. At worst, it looks like a sore back or a possible sore neck.
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