Mariano Rivera hit Jeff Francoeur with a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to force in the winning run as the Texas Rangers earned a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday.

Ian Kinsler doubled in the tying run and Vladimir Guererro chipped in three hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who trimmed their magic number to 14 for clinching the American League West.

With a one-run lead, the Yankees brought in River in his customary ninth inning slot and he promptly walked Guererro and allowed a single to Nelson Cruz to put runners on the corners. Kinsler followed and lifted a double to left for the tying run. New York then elected to walk Chris Davis to re-load the bases.

Rivera (3-3) got an out on a pop up before he drilled Francoeur with a pitch to push across the game-winning run.

The Yankees had taken the lead one inning earlier when Alex Rodriguez came up with the bases loaded and drove a 1-0 pitch to left to clear the bases give his team a 6-5 edge.

The game was tied, 2-2, when a 58-minute rain delay stopped action in the fifth. That ended the night for the starters, and Texas grabbed two quick runs off Chad Gaudin to take the lead, bringing it to 5-3 in the seventh when Mitch Moreland singled in a run.