Extra Inning Win Lifts Yanks Over .500

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
N.Y. Yankees	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	0	0		7	11	0
Minnesota	1	1	1	0	0	2	1	0	0		6	13	1

	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18		R	H	E
N.Y. Yankees	0	0	1								7	11	0
Minnesota	0	0	0								6	13	1

It took 12 innings, but the Yankees were able to move to a game over .500 with a 7-6 win over the Twins tonight in Minnesota. This is the first time the Yanks have been over the .500 mark since May 4th.

Chien-Ming Wang started and for the third straight start did not pitch well. It seemed that he was in trouble every inning, and his sinker was staying up in the zone. One thing he did do was keep the Yankees in the game, so I guess he deserves a little credit for that. He lasted 5.1 IP, and gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, while striking out 4 and walking 3. His ERA for the year is now over 4.

Edwar Ramirez relieved Wang in the 6th and allowed his first earned run of the year, at any level, on a Michael Cuddyer solo HR in the 7th that tied the game.

After that the bullpen was very good. Jose Veras threw 1.1 scoreless, Kyle Farnsworth pitched an easy 1-2-3 9th that included 2 strikeouts. Ross Ohlendorf was in trouble the whole time he was on the mound but was still able to throw 2 scoreless innings, striking out 4. And Mariano Rivera continues to dominate, retiring the Twins 1-2-3 in the 15th to pick up his 15th save of the year.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Wang	5.1	9	5	5	3	4	0	4.14
Ramirez (BS, 1)	1.1	1	1	1	0	0	1	0.56
Veras	1.1	1	0	0	0	1	0	3.86
Farnsworth	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4.26
Ohlendorf (W, 1-1)	2.0	2	0	0	2	4	0	5.97
Rivera (S, 15)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.36

TWINS PITCHING

The Yankees trailed 3-0 in the 3rd and had a man of 1st with two out, but then Nick Punto bobbled a Derek Jeter ground ball that allowing the inning to go on. The error proved very costly because Bobby Abreu smacked a RBI double, and then Alex Rodriguez tied the game with a 2-run single.

They added 3 more runs in the 6th inning. Hideki Matsui walked to lead off the inning, and Jason Giambi followed with a single. After a Robinson Cano pop out Jose Molina came through with a RBI double to give the Yanks a 4-3 lead. Melky Cabrera gave the Yanks a 5-3 lead with a sac fly, and then Johnny Damon drove in the 6th run with a single to left.

Twins pitching held the Yankees scoreless till the 12th, but the Yanks were finally able to scratch a run across in the 12th when with 1 out Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter singled to set up 1st and 3rd for Bobby Abreu. Abreu fought off a 1-1 pitch and blooped it over 2nd for what turned out to be the game winning single.

AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Damon, LF 5 2 2 1 1 0 1 .291 Jeter, SS 6 1 1 0 0 1 1 .269 Abreu, RF 5 1 2 2 1 2 0 .298 Rodriguez, 3B 5 0 1 2 1 1 3 .288 Matsui, DH 4 1 1 0 2 0 1 .337 Giambi, 1B 6 1 1 0 0 1 4 .240 Betemit, 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .265 Cano, 2B 5 0 1 0 0 0 3 .219 Molina, C 5 1 1 1 0 1 1 .218 Cabrera, CF 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 .265 Totals 45 7 11 7 5 7 15 BATTING 2B: Matsui (12, Bonser), Abreu (12, Bonser), Molina (11, Crain). TB: Damon 2; Jeter; Abreu 3; Rodriguez; Matsui 2; Giambi; Cano; Molina 2; Cabrera. RBI: Abreu 2 (36), Rodriguez 2 (21), Molina (6), Cabrera (24), Damon (25). 2-out RBI: Abreu; Rodriguez 2; Damon. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Matsui; Rodriguez; Giambi 2. SF: Cabrera. GIDP: Damon. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Rodriguez 2 (6, 2nd base off Reyes/Mauer, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer), Damon (8, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer), Abreu (5, 2nd base off Bonser/Mauer). CS: Rodriguez (1, 3rd base by Reyes/Mauer).

TWINS OFFENSE

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Bobby Abreu (2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, GW single in 12th)

HONORABLE MENTION: Ross Ohlendorf (First MLB Win, 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K)

Game three of this four game series is tomorrow afternoon. Darrell Rasner starts for the Yanks, with Nick Blackburn starting for the Twins. First pitch is 2:10 p.m., and the game can be seen of YES and heard on WCBS 880.