ARLINGTON, Texas, April 25 (UPI) -- Mike Mussina became the first five-game winner in the major leagues Friday night, pitching eight innings as the New York Yankees held on for a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Mussina allowed one run and five hits with a walk and nine strikeouts. He is the first Yankees starter to open a season 5-0 since current pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre did so in 1969.
However, Mussina had to sweat out the ninth as Juan Acevedo nearly gave up a lead built on Nick Johnson's two-run homer in the fifth.
Despite striking out the side in the eighth and throwing only 102 pitches, Mussina was pulled by Manager Joe Torre.
Acevedo got the first two outs in the ninth, but Carl Everett reached when second baseman Alfonso Soriano could not backhand his grounder up the middle. Everett was credited with a single, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Everett took second on catcher's indifference and scored on a double by former Yankee Ruben Sierra.
Michael Young's soft liner went off the glove off Johnson at first base, but Soriano chased it down and flipped to Acevedo, who beat Young to the bag and nailed down his fourth save.
Rookie Colby Lewis (3-1) took the loss, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.
