By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANAHATTAN — The New York Yankees hope to solve Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee as the American League Championship Series shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3 on Monday night.
Lee has looked unbeatable in the postseason over the last two years for Texas and the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran lefty, who was almost traded to the Yankees from the Seattle Mariners in July, has a 6-0 record in seven playoff starts over the last two seasons.
The 32-year-old Lee won both of his World Series starts for Philadelphia last year, including a six-hitter at Yankee Stadium when he struck out 10 and gave up only an unearned run in Game 1.
The veteran southpaw allowed one run and struck out 11 to earn a complete game 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in his last start in Game 5 of the ALDS on Oct. 12.
Lee is hoping to neutralize a Yankees lineup that erupted for five runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 6-5 win in Game 1 on Friday. New York was shut down on Saturday, losing 7-2 to Texas in Game 2 of the series.
"They're basically an All-Star team. From top to bottom, they have threats everywhere," Lee told the Associated Press. "I'm not going to get intimidated."
Lee's recent postseason dominance has earned its share of praise in the media leading up to Game 3. However, the Rangers ace will be dueling Andy Pettitte, who is no playoff slouch himself.
"Obviously, it's a great matchup," New York manager Joe Girardi told the AP on Sunday. "Before we played Game 1, all the talk was about Game 3."
Pettitte has 19 career postseason wins and is 5-0 with a 2.88 ERA in his last nine playoff starts.
"I'll put Andy Pettitte up against anyone in the playoffs," Mark Teixeira told the New York Post. "Andy's used to pressure. He's been in so many big games throughout career."
