The Texas Rangers suffered a 6-5 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series Friday evening at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Yankees used six unanswered runs, scoring one in the seventh and five in the eighth to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven ALCS.

New York reliever Dustin Moseley (1-0) was the winning pitcher, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Rangers’ right-hander Darren O’Day was handed the loss, surrendering a game-tying two-RBI single from Alex Rodriguez in the eighth inning.

Texas starting left-hander C.J. Wilson turned in his second quality start of the 2010 postseason, allowing three runs in seven innings, but wouldn’t make it out of the eighth, allowing back-to-back hits to start the frame, including Derek Jeter’s RBI double that sparked the Yankees’ five-run rally.

Centerfielder Josh Hamilton gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead in the first, launching a three-run home run to right field.

A pair of run-scoring base hits from Elvis Andrus and Michael Young in the bottom of the fourth gave Texas a 5-0 advantage.

Catcher Matt Treanor singled to right-center field and came around to score after Andrus’ single to center field. Three pitches later, Young plated Andrus with two-out double to right-center.

New York cut its deficit to 5-1 after second baseman Robinson Cano (3-for-4) began the seventh with a solo homer to right field.

The Yankees’ first lead of the game came after a five run eighth. Jeter’s double scored Gardner (reached on infield hit), which led to Wilson’s exit from the game. Rangers’ veteran lefty Darren Oliver came on and loaded the bases with consecutive walks to Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira. O’Day relieved Oliver and threw only one pitch, a fastball on the inside corner to Rodriguez, who lined it to left field for a two-RBI single, making the game 5-4.

Cano roped the very next pitch, an 86-mile per hour fastball from Clay Rapada, to center, driving in Teixeira and tying the score, 5-5.

One batter later, Rodriguez crossed the plate for the go-ahead run on a single to left by designated hitter Marcus Thames.

New York set up man Kerry Wood retired the Rangers in the bottom of the eighth and closer Mariano Rivera converted the save, despite a leadoff single by pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland to begin the ninth.

The Rangers and Yankees both used five pitchers in the game.

Texas and New York will play Game 2 of the series Saturday, Oct. 16, with a first pitch scheduled for 3:07 p.m. for Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.