May 2 Preview

By Caleb Breakey / MLB.com

For the only time this season, Andy Pettitte will pitch amid his fellow Texans who speak in those soft twangs.

The Yankees will face the Rangers on Wednesday in the second game of three after breaking loose of some frustration with Tuesday night's 10-1 win. The outburst could be a momentum shift for the Yankees, who entered the game having lost eight of their last nine games.

Pettitte left Houston and his home state to sign a one-year contract with the Yankees this past offseason. He brings a 1-1 record and 3.00 ERA to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and owns an 8-7 lifetime record against the Rangers. The left-hander is coming off of a loss against the Red Sox in which he pitched just 4 2/3 innings.

The Rangers will send right-hander Robinson Tejeda to the mound. He is 3-1 with a 3.82 ERA and has struck out 21 batters in 30 2/3 innings this season.

Pitching matchup

NYY: LHP Andy Pettitte (1-1. 3.00 ERA)Pettitte has made two relief appearances this year because the Yankees bullpen has been worn out. Overall, he has 10 jogs in from the bullpen in the middle of a game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the two first-inning runs Pettitte gave up in his start against the Athletics on April 15 snapped a streak of 15 consecutive starts without allowing a first-inning run.

TEX: RHP Robinson Tejeda (3-1, 3.82 ERA)Tejeda is 1-1 with a 4.42 ERA in his starts at home this season. He's had his way with right-handed hitters thus far, holding them to a .174 batting average. Left-handers, on the flip side, have ripped Tejeda, hitting .322 off him. In his only start against the Yankees last year, he allowed six runs in three innings.

Player to watch

Mark Teixeira has given Pettitte some grief in 14 career at-bats. The Rangers first baseman has seven hits and a pair of doubles against Pettitte for a crisp .500 batting average.