Rodriguez and Teixeira Combine for Key Play on Defense They are paid hundreds of millions of dollars to hit home runs and drive in runs by the dozens, but lately Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira have been woefully insufficient in those areas. On Tuesday, each was booed at different points during the game when they failed to produce hits that could have led their team to an easy victory. But on the final, critical play of the game, with their bats sitting in the dugout rack, Rodriguez and Teixeira did combine to make a marvelous play that ensured the Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, Tuesday and ended a three-game losing streak. But they did it with their gloves. Rodriguez was booed twice during the game, including when he struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. The Royals had intentionally walked Robinson Cano, who had already hit a solo home run, to load the bases for Rodriguez, which is an affront to the ego and pride of a power hitter like Rodriguez. But with all that, Rodriguez still made the defensive play of the game, with the help of Teixeira, to help change the mood at Yankee Stadium from frustration into great relief. Rodriguez and Teixeira may not be hitting, but they remain two of the best defensive players on the team. When you are hitting like garbage, Rodriguez said while using slightly more colorful language, "sometimes you have to help the team win in other facets. I know what I can do offensively. There's no questions in my mind what I'm going to be able to do to help this team win. With the Yankees clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth inning, Rafael Soriano came on for the team's first save situation in its last nine games. He gave up a one-out double to Alex Gordon, who went to third on Irving Falu's groundout. With two outs and the potential tying run on third, Alcides Escobar hit a bouncer down the third-base line. As Gordon broke for home, Rodriguez had two choices. He could charge the ball and try to make what he called a "kamikaze" play with one hand, or he could do what he did. He slid over toward the line, about six feet behind the base, got his body in front of the ball, caught it, set his feet, and fired sidearm all the way across the diamond. The throw was hard but high and to Teixeira's right. But Teixeira made the stretch and snagged the ball just before Escobar's foot came down on the base. Rodriguez spun around with his back to the plate and pumped his fist in glee, knowing he had saved the game. "Whooo," he said. Exciting play. Just a great play on everyone's end, especially Tex to be able to keep his foot on the bag. I knew he would be hauling down the line when he hit that slider off his front foot. He's a good runner. So, I had two choices. I could either come out and attack it with one hand, or try to get the best hop and I wanted to drop the hammer on him. For Manager Joe Girardi, Rodriguez's ability to get the ball quickly out of his glove and make the strong throw are remnants of his days as a shortstop. It would be nice for Girardi if Rodriguez could add some offense to go along with it, but defense is a vital part of the game, as well, and without it the Yankees might not have won a game they badly needed. Coming into the game, the Yankees had lost six of their previous seven games, and had been almost incapable of getting a hit with runners in scoring position. When the dam finally broke Tuesday, there was no deluge of runs, just a small trickle. After Cano's fourth-inning homer, the Yankees actually got two hits with runners in scoring position, and eked out two runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. Derek Jeter had the key hit, slapping a single to right field with the bases loaded and nobody out in the fifth inning as the Yankees went 2 for 5 with runners in scoring position in the inning. After Jeter's single, Curtis Granderson grounded out, pushing home another run, and then the Royals walked Cano intentionally to load the bases again for Rodriguez, who struck out. "I love that," Rodriguez said of the walk. But I don't like striking out in that situation. I'll take my chances. They're going to do that again, and I'm excited for that. Mariano Rivera, walking without a limp, showed up at the Stadium on Tuesday and said he still does not have a date for the surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right knee. Rivera said he was still being treated for the blood clot in his calf, an indirect result of the injury he sustained while shagging fly balls May 3.