Walk-off Magic Carries Into Playoffs In An Instant Classic

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11		R	H	E
Minnesota	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0		3	12	1
NY Yankees	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	1		4	7	0

WP - David Robertson (1-0)
LP - Jose Mijares (0-1)
Game 2 of the ALDS was a must-have for the Twins. They needed to even the series to head into Minnesota with some momentum. But instead, the Yanks decided to play one of the most memorable playoff games since Aaron Boone's walkoff in the 2003 ALCS, as the nail-biting game went 11 innings before Mark Teixeira finally got his real, real signature moment as a Yankee, as he skied a walkoff home run that just cleared the wall in left, to give the Yankees another walkoff win 4-3.

The game started out pretty smooth. A.J. Burnett and Nick Blackburn, both making their first postseason starts, went head-to-head through 5 innings, each allowing only a couple hits. But then in the sixth, the momentum swung to the Twins direction, as Greenburgh native Brendan Harris tripled home Delmon Young, to give the Twins a 1-0 lead.

The crowd went silent, and it really was not looking good for the Yankees, as Blackburn was pitching a gem, and it actually started to seem the Yankees may drop Game 2.

But that's why they play 9 innings in baseball, or even more.

Following the top of the sixth, Derek Jeter led off the bottom half with a ground-rule double, and after Johnny Damon walked and Mark Teixeira flied out, Alex Rodriguez stepped up and tied it up with an RBI single right pass the third baseman, to jumpstart the Yankees.

A.J. Burnett left the game after the sixth and ended up pitching a very nice game. I mean, he walked 5, but he allowed only 1 run on 3 hits, and struck out 6. So Joba Chamberlain came on in the 7th, and again pitched very well, pumping 95 mph fastballs right down the pipe. He left after getting 2 outs, and Phil Coke then finished the inning by striking out Jason Kubel.

With the game still tied 1-1, the Yanks put Phil Hughes in to pitch the 8th, and as you expected, he mowed the Twins down - WRONG, as he coughed up 2 runs and gave the Twins a 3-1 lead heading into the 9th. Mariano Rivera got the final out of the inning, and then pitched the top of the 9th with no problems.

So heading into the bottom of the 9th, I kept saying it ain't over till it's over, and I thought the Yanks could comeback. But my gut was telling me that it just didn't seem it would happen. But nonetheless, it did!

Mark Teixeira led off the inning with a long single into right, and then Alex Rodriguez stepped up, already having a great series. And he turned a great two games into a tremendous 2 games, by slamming a game-tying 2-run home run into the Yankee bullpen, to give Yankee fans something to cheer about. He then got a huge ovation, and eventually, a curtain call. But Matsui then popped up, Posada grounded out, as did Melky, so the Yanks would need to play extra innings if they wanted to win Game 2.

But before the Yankees could bat again, they needed to play the top of the 10th. They sent Alfredo Aceves to the hill, and although he made Joe Girardi sweat a little bit, he eventually got the final out without any damage done.

In the bottom half of the 10th, the Yanks had a chance to end the game right then and there, as after Jorge Posada singled, Brett Gardner pinch ran. And with Jeter up, he stole 2nd. Then Joe Nathan, the Twins closer, got nervous and threw back to second to trie to pick off Gardner. But he threw it away, and Gardner advanced to 3rd with just 1 out and Johnny Damon coming up. But Johnny stunned all of us by lining out to Nick Punto, and Gardner got doubled off 3rd, to end the potential Yankee rally.

Then in the 11th, things really got tense. Joe Girardi foolishly sent the "lefty specialist" Damaso Marte out to pitch the top half of the eleventh, but he allowed singles to both Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel, to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Then before things got way out of hand, Joe brought in David Robertson. But Michael Cuddyer singled as well, to load the bases, and it appeared Minnesota would now have its chance to really put the nail in the coffin for the Yanks' chances of a comeback win. But then, a real classic moment happened, as Delmon Young lined out to Teix, then the Yanks got a force at home for the 2nd out, and before you knew it, the Yankees were out of a bases-loaded, no out jam.

Now, they had to capitalize on it.

Mark Teixeira stepped up looking to give A-Rod or Matsui a chance to drive him home. But instead, he decided to end the game by lining a walkoff game winning solo shot that jsut cleared the wall in left, to give the Yankees a dramatic, comeback Game 2 victory in the ALDS.

Boy, only two games into the playoffs and we already are having one of our best in a while. First an exciting Game 1 win to open up the series, and now possibly the best game this year in Game 2 as Teix hit a walkoff homer and got some whip cream pie! It's beginning to look like this could be a very special October for the Bombers.

The Yanks will try to finish off the Twinkies and advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2004 on Sunday in Game 3 of the Divsion Series in Minnesota, in what could be the final game at the Metrodome. Andy Pettitte will get the start for the Yanks against, yep, you guessed it, Carl Pavano. Game time 7:07, and only on TBS.

What a game!!

Greg here, just wanted to add something about that blown call in the 11th, the one on the Mauer foul ball that should have been a ground-rule double. It was a blown call, plain and simple, but I think we were owed one at that point. But to any Twins fans and/or Yankees haters out there who feel like crying about it, you only have your the Twins to blame. Their closer had a two-run lead with three outs to go, they left 17 men on base, after the blown call they loaded the bases with nobody out and failed to score, and how could I forget Carlos Gomez's fantastic base running. So you can blame the umps if you'd like, but the only people you should be blaming are those dude wearing the Twins uniforms last night.

Oh, and if I ever hear another fan boo A-Rod in Yankee Stadium again I will walk up to you and punch you in the face.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jeter, SS	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	.500
Damon, LF	4	0	0	0	1	0	2	.125
Cervelli, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Teixeira, 1B	5	2	2	1	0	0	2	.222
Rodriguez, A, 3B	4	1	2	3	0	0	0	.500
Matsui, H, DH	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.167
Swisher, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1	1	.125
Cano, 2B	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	.125
Cabrera, Me, CF-LF	4	0	0	0	0	1	1	.125
Molina, J, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Posada, PH-C	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	.286
1-Gardner, PR-CF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	36	4	7	4	3	4	9
a-Flied out for Molina, J in the 6th. 1-Ran for Posada in the 10th.
BATTING 2B: Jeter (1, Blackburn). HR: Rodriguez, A (1, 9th inning off Nathan, 1 on, 0 out), Teixeira (1, 11th inning off Mijares, Jo, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 2; Teixeira 5; Rodriguez, A 5; Cano; Posada. RBI: Rodriguez, A 3 (5), Teixeira (1). 2-out RBI: Rodriguez, A. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Matsui, H. Team RISP: 1-for-4. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner (1, 2nd base off Nathan/Mauer). FIELDING Outfield assists: Swisher (Gomez, C at 3rd base).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Burnett, A	6.0	3	1	1	5	6	0	1.50
Chamberlain	0.2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Coke	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Hughes, P	0.2	2	2	2	1	1	0	13.50
Rivera, Ma	1.1	2	0	0	0	3	0	0.00
Aceves, A	1.0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
Marte, D	0.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Robertson, D (W, 1-0)	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00

Pitches-strikes: Burnett, A 95-57, Chamberlain 11-6, Coke 5-3, Hughes, P 22-15, Rivera, Ma 27-19, Aceves, A 19-13, Marte, D 10-6, Robertson, D 9-7.
TWINS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tonight there are three for obvious reasons... Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and David Robertson.

HONORABLE MENTION: A.J. Burnett (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K)

Game 3

Yankees @ Twins
Game Time: 7:07 p.m. TV/Radio: TBS, WCBS
LHP Andy Pettitte (14-8, 4.16) vs. RHP Carl Pavano (14-12, 5.10)