NEW YORK -- The key to Alexi Ogando's success before Sunday was an ability to throw his fastball anywhere from 94 to 97 mph and mix in a slider with tons of movement and varying speeds. That left hitters struggling to catch up with the fastball and shaking their heads at the slider.

But under the bright lights at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Ogando's slider wasn't moving the way he wanted.

"It just wasn't good tonight," catcher Yorvit Torrealba said.

That meant Ogando had to rely on more fastballs and the Yankee hitters were able to sit on the pitch, time it and take advantage. Too many fastballs up in the zone hurt Ogando, as he watched three pitches leave the ballpark on Sunday. He came into the game having allowed just two homers total in his major league career.

Robinson Cano hit a slider out to right in the first and no amount of wind was going to stop it. Russell Martin (in the fifth) and Curtis Granderson (in the sixth) hit fastballs out.

The Rangers' offense -- mainly Michael Young and Adrian Beltre -- kept Ogando close. But each time the Rangers tied it or got the lead, things slipped away.

"I was trying to make my pitches and locate where Torrealba was asking for the ball," Ogando said through a translator. "The [slider] wasn't as sharp today. I gave it a shot. I had to use the fastball more. I didn't feel comfortable with the slider."

Ogando ended up allowing five runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout in 6 1/3 innings. All five runs were scored on homers.

"I'm going to keep my head up and try to do my best next time out," Ogando said.

Manager Ron Washington is confident Ogando will learn from his mistakes on Sunday.

"He got some pitches up and they got him," Washington said. "He couldn't go through the whole season without giving up something. But the most important thing is he kept us in the ballgame."

Ogando is slated to face the Royals in his next outing at home on Saturday, meaning he'll get an extra day of rest before that start. The blister issues that bothered him in his first two starts were not a problem Sunday.