1999 Yankees Diary, September 12: Yanks’ woes deepen as Clemens falters late

A tough loss in Texas

The New York Yankees lost 4-3 to the Texas Rangers on Saturday night, dropping their record to 82-69. The loss was the Yankees' third in a row and fourth in their last five games.

Clemens struggles

Roger Clemens started for the Yankees and allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Clemens walked two batters and struck out five. It was Clemens' first loss since July 24.

Offensive struggles

The Yankees' offense struggled against Rangers starter Ismael Valdes. Valdes allowed just two runs on four hits in six innings. The Yankees did not score a run until the seventh inning, when they scored two runs on a single by Derek Jeter.

Missed opportunities

The Yankees had several chances to score runs but failed to come through. They left 11 runners on base, including two with the bases loaded.

Playoff hopes fading

The loss dropped the Yankees 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. The Yankees' playoff hopes are fading with just 11 games remaining in the regular season.

The Yankees will try to avoid a four-game sweep when they face the Rangers in the series finale on Sunday.

Here are some additional details about the game:

• The Rangers scored two runs in the first inning on a home run by Juan Gonzalez.
• The Yankees scored two runs in the seventh inning on a single by Derek Jeter.
• The Rangers scored two runs in the eighth inning on a double by Ivan Rodriguez.
• The Yankees left 11 runners on base.

The Yankees will now travel to Seattle to face the Mariners in a three-game series starting on Monday.