Yankees rally to beat Twins

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS

Indoors or outdoors, the New York Yankees still own the Minnesota Twins in the postseason.

Mark Teixeira hit a tie-breaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning to rally the Yankees to a 6-4 victory over the Twins in Game 1 of the AL division series on Wednesday night.

Yankees ace CC Sabathia labored, but reliever David Robertson fanned Jim Thome in a key spot and Mariano Rivera got the final four outs to close another win for the defending World Series champions. The Yankees rallied from a 3-0 deficit against Francisco Liriano and improved to 10-2 against the Twins in the playoffs since 2003.

Even a blown call by the umpires — shades of the last two postseasons — that went against the Yankees with two outs in the bottom of the ninth didn’t hurt them.

“It’s just bad luck for Minnesota. We just keep fighting. That’s a great team over there. We’ve played a lot of tough games against them,” Teixeira said.

Michael Cuddyer homered, doubled and drove in two runs for the Twins, who played their first outdoor postseason game in Minnesota since 1970. They were hoping a move from the shabby Metrodome outdoors to gorgeous Target Field would turn their fortunes around, but it was more of the same against the mighty Yankees.

Game 2 is tonight. Carl Pavano will pitch for the Twins against Andy Pettitte.

Jorge Posada had two hits and RBI and Curtis Granderson added a two-run triple for New York, which has never won a postseason series as a wild card.

Rivera recorded his 40th career postseason saves in 45 chances, but had to work a little harder than he planned. Replays showed Yankees right fielder Greg Golson — inserted that inning for defensive purposes — caught Delmon Young’s sinking liner for what should’ve been the last out.

But umpire Chris Guccione ruled that he trapped it and the call stood after the umpires huddled. Manager Joe Girardi came out to argue, but to no avail. With the tying run at the plate, Thome flied out to Alex Rodriguez to end the game.

“Mo did a great job there,” Teixeira said. “Should have been four outs in a row.”

Rivera came into the game in the eighth with runners at second and third and retired Denard Span on a grounder to preserve a two-run edge.

Liriano gave up four runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in 52/3 innings for the Twins.

The Dominican lefty breezed through the first five innings of his first career postseason start, allowing just four hits as the Twins jumped out to the early lead.

Cuddyer crushed a two-run homer into the trees in center field in the second inning and Orlando Hudson scored on a passed ball in the third to make it 3-0, as more than 42,000 at jam-packed Target Field leaped to their feet.