Seven shutout innings for Burnett as Yanks beat Rangers, 7-3

They are pitching, as evidenced by A.J. Burnett's second straight strong start, this one seven shutout innings.

They are hitting, as evidenced by Alex Rodriguez's first homer of the season, Derek Jeter's third and a bunch of balls that didn't even leave the infield.

The Yankees are riding pretty high through 11 games. After yesterday's 7-3 dismantling of the Rangers, they are 8-3, their best record through 11 games since 2003, when they were 9-2.

And these are not squeakers or walk-off dramas. Between CC Sabathia, Burnett and Andy Pettitte, who will try to complete a sweep of Texas when he starts today, the Yankees' top three starters are 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA.

"We're happy with the way we're playing right out of the gate," Joe Girardi said after his team clinched its fourth straight series win. "The more wins you have in April, the less you may need in later months. It's not that you want your guys to take the foot off the gas pedal, but it's just easier."

Burnett (2-0, 2.37 ERA) had command of his fastball and threw it where and when he wanted, not really needing his breaking pitches to limit Texas to six hits and two walks. He struck out seven of the free-swinging Rangers after watching Sabathia get to strike two awfully quickly the night before.

"We didn't really need to expand the strike zone too much, either," Burnett said. "We [he and Jorge Posada] had a lot of conviction in the fastball today."

That certainly was helped by seven runs in the first four innings, including four in the third, when the Yankees knocked out Scott Feldman (1-1) after only 21/3 innings and 73 pitches.

"Knocked out'' may be a bit strong: With six infield hits to add to the four the Yankees had Friday, including three by Brett Gardner, it was more like a million ants toppling a statue than one big wrecking ball.

"That wears a guy down," Girardi said, "and everyone's thinking he's going to make a mistake. The way we're doing it - walks, creating runs - it's great to see."

After Gardner's two-out infield single drove in a run and sent Curtis Granderson to third in the third inning, Gardner stole second as Taylor Teagarden's throw skipped into centerfield, allowing Granderson to score. (Gardner had stopped short of the bag, intending to create a rundown if necessary.)

Jeter promptly delivered a two-run homer off Doug Mathis to make it 6-0, and A-Rod finally homered in his 42nd at-bat of the year, hitting a solo shot to right-center in the fourth.

After a bases-loaded walk to Nick Johnson in the second, Mark Teixeira managed one of those half-dozen infield hits, a shattered-bat flare that made it 2-0. Otherwise, it was another forgettable day for Teixeira, who actually lifted his average to .100 (4-for-40). Fortunately for the Yankees, they haven't really needed their sluggers to carry the load, thanks to the pitching.

Burnett's quirky temperament was dissected often in 2009. Not this time. "Confidence, I guess," he said, explaining his new demeanor. "Confidence and conviction, taking every pitch as seriously as I can. It's maybe, at 3-and-1 or 3-and-2, just throwing it over the plate instead of maybe trying to be too fine."Burnett cautioned against getting too excited. It's not as if last season's slow start hampered the Yankees down the stretch. But the swagger is back very early this season.

Key stat: The Yankees have three or more runs in all 11 games, the

first time they've done that since 2000, when they did it in 15

straight to start the season.

Changeup: Rangers starter Scott Feldman threw 73 pitches in 2 1/3

innings -- the same number that CC Sabathia threw in six innings the

night before.