Fifteen straight Yankees batters were retired in order, as the Bronx Bombers slogged along in the Texas heat, trailing 4-3 and bringing back memories of the 2012 postseason which they finished with a .181 team batting average.
But then, with one out in the ninth inning, Vernon Wells broke through with a walk, setting up a rally off Rangers closer Joe Nathan. After a wild pitch moved Wells to second, Eduardo Nunez tripled to drive him in and tie the game. Brent Lillibridge then singled in Nunez to give the Yankees a lead after all hope seemed stymied.
Those names involved are not a misprint.
Wells, Nunez and Lillibridge - not Jeter, Rodriguez, Granderson or Teixeira - spurred the most important inning of the Yankees' season thus far in the team's 100th game.
These are not your typical marquee-name Yankees. Those guys all currently reside on the DL.
Joe Girardi's batting order Tuesday night went as follows: Gardner, Suzuki, Cano, Overbay, Wells, Nunez, Lillibridge, Mesa, Romine.
Losers of three of four following the All-Star break, Sunday night's extra-inning loss to arch-rival Boston especially excruciating, the Yankees needed some momentum.
They were shutout in the first game of this series with Texas and bowing down to Nathan in the ninth would have sunk morale even lower.
But an unsung trio fueled an unexpected comeback in an unusual Yankees season. That's a boost measured by bravado, not big bucks.
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