MLB: New York Yankees 6, Texas 5

ARLINGTON, Texas, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Marcus Thames had a tiebreaking, RBI single during a five-run eighth Friday that rallied the New York Yankees to a 6-5 win over Texas in their ALCS opener.

C.J. Wilson held the Yankees to a run on six hits over seven innings and Texas appeared set to record the first home playoff victory in franchise history. Darren Oliver, however, failed to retire any of the four batters he faced to start the eighth inning and that set the stage for a New York comeback that allowed the Yankees to seize home-field advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The teams will meet again Saturday before the series moves to New York Monday.

New York starter CC Sabathia surrendered a three-run homer to Josh Hamilton in the first and a two-run double to Michael Young in the fourth. Sabathia left the game after four innings but four New York relievers combined to hold the Rangers scoreless.

Mariano Rivera allowed the tying run to reach base in the ninth but retired both Young and Hamilton to end the game and earn the 42nd post-season save of his career.

Robinson Cano homered for New York in the seventh to make it a 5-1 game and the Yankees then sent 10 men to the plate in the eighth.

Brett Gardner reached on an infield single to open the inning and scored on a double by Derek Jeter. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira both walked to load the bases, after which Darren O'Day relieved Oliver.

Rodriguez hit O'Day's first and only pitch for a two-run single and Cano then singled against Clay Rapada to drive in Teixeira with the tying run.

Derek Holland came on as the fourth pitcher of the inning and gave up the single to Thames that delivered Rodriguez with the winning run and made O'Day the losing pitcher.

The win went to Dustin Moseley, who pitched the sixth and seventh innings for New York.