AJ Burnett, yet another of the  inconsistent Yankee starting pitchers making these last few weeks more ulcer-inducing than they would normally be, took the mound on a 92 degree, 42 percent humidity Saturday night in Arlington.

There was dead, damp air all around the stadium, with no wind to speak of.  The Rangers fans were given, and futily used, handheld “paddle” fans to deal with the heat.  All Burnett had was a rosin bag.  AJ used that bag so much in the first four innings, you would have sworn they registered at Tiffany’s.

As you could expect, Burnett’s command, never a strong suit of his, suffered from the sweaty environs.  He couldn’t place his breaking stuff consistently, but managed to pump his fastball by enough Ranger batters to keep himself in the game.

A leadoff walk to Elvis Andrus eventually led to a run when Vlad Guerrero laced a tailing fastball for a single to center.  The Yanks put a rally together against Tommy Hunter in the top of the second as Robinson Cano doubled down the right field line and Lance Berkman knocked a ribbie single to center. Curtis Granderson singled to put runners at 1st and 2nd.

Then the Yanks got a bit of a gift, as Ian Kinsler dropped what could have been an inning-ending DP ball, instead settling for a fielder’s choice force out.  Francisco Cervelli redeemed the gift certificate with a lined single to center, putting the Yanks up 2-1.

After Burnett recorded the first two outs in the third, he walked David Murphy, and then Guerrero pulled an 81 mph pitch to left for an RBI double to tie the game.

Both pitchers were vacillating between swinging strikeouts and walks through the first four and a half innings (Burnett 6K, 3BB; Hunter 8K, 3BB).  Then, a heavy rain appeared as Burnett started the fifth, and the tarp was called for as he had a 2-2 count on Michael Young.  When the rain delay finally ended 59 minutes later, Joe Girardi brought in Chad Gaudin.  So, Friday night’s reliever merry-go-round got an early start Saturday.

The Yanks couldn’t cash in a two out, bases-loaded opportunity in the 6th (and Girardi strangely pinch-hit for Gardner with Kearns against a lefty, even as Gardner had decent stats against them), and Gaudin ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning, allowing consecutive singles to Nelson Cruz and Kinsler.  Boone Logan (the Yanks only lefty . . . . the Rangers swollen bullpen has five lefties) relieved.  Logan struck out Mitch Moreland, but then loaded the bases with a walk to Matt Treanor.  Pinch-hitter Jeff Francoeur was announced, and Girardi brought in David Roberstson.

Robertson got Frenchy to sac fly deep to Nick Swisher in right to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead, and then Elvis Andrus singled to left, driving in Kinsler.  On the Andrus hit, Kearns tried to get Treanor going to third, and in doing so, allowed Andrus to take second.  Cano bailed out Kearns and Girardi as he stayed with a bad-hop grounder to end the inning.

The Yanks pulled within one in the top of the seventh, mixing two singles and two walks, but pinch-hitter Jorge Posada grounded into a bases-loaded double play to kill the rally.  David Robertson gave the run right back in the bottom of the inning, as Murphy singled, Kinsler drew a 2-out walk and Moreland lined a single to center.

In the eighth, the Yanks loaded the bases yet again, (3rd straight inning).  This time, they  finally got the big hit, as Alex Rodriguez cued a bases-clearing double off of one of Ron Washington’s five lefties (he left a lefty in to face A-Rod with a righty up in the bullpen . . . OK, whatever).

The 9th inning featured more strangeness from the managers.  Eduardo Nunez, who came in to play short in the eighth, tapped an infield single.  Nunez stole second with Cervelli at the plate, and then on a 3-0 count, Cervelli sacrificed him to third.  Girardi then pinch-hit Marcus Thames for Kearns (righty for righty?), but Thames could only loft a fly to short left, and Nunez was stranded when Swisher then grounded out.

Mariano Rivera, who had pitched two innings Friday night, was called in to finish this mess.  He tried to pitch Guerrero inside, and ended up walking him on five pitches.  Esteban German pinch-ran, and Nelson Cruz worked the count to 3-2 before singling to right, moving German to third.   Girardi pulled the infield in, went to the mound to discuss matters with Mo and the infield, then watched as Ian Kinsler placed a double right over the third-base bag, tying the game and moving Cruz to third.  Chris Davis, who had come in to play first in the 8th, was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Andres Blanco pinch-hit and popped out to Teixeira.  Then, Rivera’s first pitch to Jeff Francoeur actually hit Frenchy.  When was the last time Rivera hit ANYONE?  Cruz trotted home with the winning run.

7-6 Texas.  P.U.  I need a shower.

(Post-script: With regard to Gardner . . . Girardi pulled him due to a nagging sore wrist.  This was the first game-ending HBP of Rivera’s career, and the first time the Yanks had lost in such a fashion since May 23, 1979.)