Yankees put play in playoffs

Andy Pettitte set a postseason career high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte got Yankee Stadium rocking again. Now New York fans have reason to believe their team will be back next week.
Giambi turned boos to cheers with a two-run single, Pettitte pitched another gem under pressure and the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 Thursday night to even the best-of-five AL playoff series at a game apiece.
"We showed the caliber of team that we are," closer Mariano Rivera said.
The series shifts to the Metrodome, where Roger Clemens makes what could be the final start of his Hall of Fame career Saturday afternoon in Game 3. Kyle Lohse goes for Minnesota.
Fans in frenzy
After a sloppy loss during the day in Game 1, the Yankees finally put their fans in a frenzy with a three-run seventh inning that snapped a 1-1 tie. Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead single off LaTroy Hawkins, and this time it was the Twins who made defensive errors that opened the door.
"Something about a night game here at Yankee Stadium, almost like it just comes alive out there," Pettitte said.
Yankees manager Joe Torre took no chances, bringing in a well-rested Rivera for a six-out save. It was the reliever's 26th career postseason save.
"When you take Andy Pettitte out with the kind of courage he showed tonight, it would have been tough to replace him with anybody but Rivera.
"I don't think I can trust anybody more than I trust Andy," Torre said.
The victory came on the 25th anniversary of one of New York's most famous wins -- the day Bucky Dent homered at Fenway Park to help beat Boston in a one-game playoff for the AL East title.
This win gave the Yankees the momentum heading into Game 3, but Minnesota has its own home-field magic -- the Twins are 13-3 all-time in postseason games at the noisy Metrodome.
"We carried that game deep," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "You don't leave with a good feeling. We won a ball game here, but sure, we had a good chance again to win here tonight."
Twins starter Brad Radke hit Nick Johnson -- stuck in an 0-for-22 slump -- with a 1-2 pitch leading off the seventh.
"Do anything to get on toward the end of the game," Radke said. "Tip your hat to him, [he] took one for the team."
Enter reliever
Juan Rivera's sacrifice moved Johnson up, and Hawkins, the winner in Game 1, entered to face Soriano. He singled sharply to left for a 2-1 lead.
Derek Jeter followed with a chopper back to Hawkins, who hurriedly threw high off first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz's glove for an error that left runners at second and third.
"I kind of rushed it a little bit. I had more time than I thought I did," Hawkins said. "If [Mientkiewicz] was 2 inches taller, he would have caught that."
Up came Giambi, who fanned against Hawkins in Game 1 and was booed loudly throughout the first two games for failing to deliver with runners on.
But he grounded a hard single up the middle through a drawn-in infield for a 4-1 lead.
"I guess I went from zero to hero real quick," Giambi said. "That's the great thing about this game."
Gardenhire said after the game he thought the long break in the middle of the seventh for the singing of "God Bless America" might have affected Radke.
Postseason feel
The October chill of a 52-degree night -- Soriano went out for batting practice wearing a ski cap -- helped give the game a postseason feel that was missing Tuesday.
The crowd was buzzing by the time Pettitte whiffed two in the first, and two-strike singles by Soriano, Jeter and Giambi brought fans to their feet moments later. Bernie Williams' bases-loaded sacrifice fly made it 1-0.
Pettitte used a tight slider to set a postseason career high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. He allowed only Torii Hunter's homer and improved to 11-7 in 26 postseason starts.
"We sent the right guy to the mound, no doubt about it," Giambi said.
MINNESOTANEW YORK
abrhbiabrhbi
ShStwrt lf3020ASrano 2b4231
Rivas 2b4000Jeter ss3110
Mntkw 1b3000JaGbi dh4022
LeCroy dh4000BWllms cf3011
JJones rf4000Posada c4010
THnter cf4121Matsui lf3000
Koskie 3b4000ABoone 3b4000
Przyns c4000NJhnsn 1b2100
CGzmn ss2000JRivra rf3000
Totals32141Totals30484
Minnesota000010000--1
New York10000030x--4
E--Hawkins (1), Jeter (1). DP--Minnesota 1. LOB--Minnesota 7, New York 8. 2B--Posada (1). HR--THunter (1). SB--ASoriano (2), Jeter (1). S--JRivera. SF--BWilliams.
IPHRERBBSO
Minnesota
Radke L,0-16 1-352224
Hawkins022100
Romero2-310000
Rincon100010
New York
Pettitte W,1-07411310
MRivera S,1200001
Hawkins pitched to 3 batters in the 7th. HBP--by Radke (NJohnson). WP--Pettitte. Umpires--Home, Ted Barrett; First, Paul Emmel; Second, Gerry Davis; Third, Jim Joyce; Left, Bill Welke; Right, Ed Montague. T--3:07. A--56,479.