Kuroda pitched a two-hitter and the Yankees got consecutive homers from Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

In his first season with New York, the 37-year-old Kuroda gave a depleted rotation yet another boost with ace CC Sabathia and veteran Andy Pettitte on the disabled list.

"This is a very good lineup that he just shut down," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Probably our best pitching performance of the year."

Kuroda allowed only four balls out of the infield and just one runner past first base. He held Texas hitless until Elvis Andrus' infield single leading off the seventh, outpitching All-Star lefty Matt Harrison in a crisp duel at Yankee Stadium.

The right-hander walked two and struck out five in his fourth career shutout and second this season. He threw 74 of 109 pitches for strikes.

"When you've got a great lineup like that," Kuroda said through a translator, "you can't lose your focus until the end."

The surging Yankees won for the sixth time in seven games. They've taken the first two in a four-game set between the AL's top two teams.

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