Yankees Dominate Twins For First Postseason Win in Two Years

YANKEES 7
TWINS 2

This is more like it!

Unlike Octobers past, the Yankees shook off an early Twins 2-0 lead to come back and clobber Minnesota 7-2 in the Bronx on Wednesday night.

C.C. Sabathia, making his first postseason start for the Bombers, was sparkling. C.C. struggled early giving up five hits and two runs in his first three innings of work, but he settled down nicely to shut down Minnesota the rest of the way. His line: six and two-thirds innings, giving up eight hits, one earned run, while striking out eight. Sabathia rocked and rolled all night long, as he earned his 20th victory of the season.

Offensively, it was Mr. October himself; no, not Reggie Jackson but Derek Jeter who got the Yankees back into the ball game with a line drive/two run home run down the left field line to tie the game in the third. As has been the case all year, the Yankees once again found a way to come from behind to win.

The Yankees took the lead for good in the fourth when Nick Swisher drove in Robinson Cano to make it 3-2 Bombers. However, it was an unlikely October hero who came up clutch big time. With Jeter on first, Alex Rodriguez, yes, that's right, Alex Rodriguez drove home Jeter with a double into the left/center gap to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead, and all but ruining the evening for Twins pitcher Brian Duensing.

Hideki Matsui followed Rodriguez with a two run blast to center field, Matsui's 29th homer of the season to give the Yankees a commanding 6-2 lead.

The heroics were not over for A-Rod. Rodriguez laced a long single off the right field wall to drive in Jeter again to increase the Yankee lead to 7-2.

Phil Hughes, Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain did a wonderful job in middle relief, before giving way to Mariano Rivera who shut the door for good on Minnesota. Box Score.