Mark Teixeira was hit on the right shoulder by Vicente Padilla in the second inning. Then he was hit on the buttocks in the fourth.
Convinced he was being thrown at, Teixeira followed with a slide at second that sent shortstop Elvis Andrus flying and sparked the Yankees in a seven-run fourth inning. New York coasted past the Texas Rangers 12-3 Tuesday night to take over best record in the American League at 31-21.
"We did the talking with our bats," Teixeira said.
When Teixeira faced Padilla (3-3) for the first time on June 9, 2005, he homered in the first and third innings during Texas' 10-8 loss at Philadelphia, then was hit by a pitch in the fifth.
"Every time I've faced him since, there seem to be balls near my head, near my body, and today I got hit twice," Teixeira said. "Not the right way to play the game. Unfortunately, you know, that guy has been doing it his whole career."
Teixeira said he even talked to Padilla about it when they were together on the Rangers in 2006-07.
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"There's really no reason for it in baseball. You know, if you can't get a guy out, don't hit him. You know, if you don't want to pitch to a guy, then, you know, put four fingers out there and walk him," Teixeira said. "And, unfortunately, when I was a teammate, it happened a lot where he would hit guys, and the 3-4 hitters, those are the guys that got hit for retaliation, and I got hit plenty of times."
Asked what he would say if Teixeira accused him, Padilla denied any sinister intent.
"I think that is unfair," Padilla responded through a translator. "I have runners on first and third. Why would I do that? The answer is that it's stupid if he thinks it was an intentional pitch."
Rangers manager Ron Washington defended his pitcher, who was activated before the game and allowed seven runs, seven hits and four walks in 3 2-3 innings.
"I guess he was trying to get inside on him, keep him from diving over the plate," Washington said.
But Teixeira hinted there was more to it.
"I think there was a little message sent," Teixeira said.
Teixeira was hit for the second time after Johnny Damon's RBI single tied it at 3. Teixeira shouted, and manager Joe Girardi came out to calm his player.
"I just wanted to make sure nothing escalated," Girardi said. "You don't like seeing your guys get plunked, especially twice by the same guy."
Alex Rodriguez then grounded to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who flipped to Andrus for the forceout at second. Teixeira didn't slide far off the line, but clipped Andrus enough to cause a bounced throw that A-Rod beat to avoid a double play.
"That's just good, hard baseball," Girardi said. "That's the way you're supposed to play the game."
