10/12: ALDS Game 3: Yankees Cap Off Sweep vs. Twins
Posted by: Seamus
Carl Pavano and the Twins came into the night needing a win in order to extend the life of the Hubert H. Metrodome (at least as far as baseball is concerned) for one more day, but they ultimately failed as it was the Yankees who were triumphant in this one. The Yankees defeated the Twins 4–1 to cap off a 3–0 series sweep and advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2004.
The first half of this game was very tight, as Andy Pettitte and Carl Pavano were pretty much matching each other pitch for pitch through the first six innings or so. There was not even a baserunner until Melky Cabrera reached on an infield single in the third, and the Twins didn't put a man on until Michael Cuddyer led off the bottom of the fifth with a single.
The Twins were finally able to jump out ahead in the bottom of the sixth after Joe Mauer brought home Denard Span with an RBI single. With the way Pavano was pitching (yeah I know, that was weird to type), it looked like the Twins might hold on and force a Game 4 Monday evening.
It was all for naught though for the Twinkies as Alex Rodriguez tied the game for the second straight game with a home run that tied the game in the following inning. Two batters later, Jorge Posada put one out the other way to give the Yankees a 2–1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
What was probably the defining moment of the game came in the eighth inning with the Yankees still leading 2–1. With nobody out and Nick Punto representing the tying run at second for the Twins, Denard Span hit a grounder that was scooped up by Derek Jeter deep behind second base. Punto, probably thinking that the ball had gotten through, broke for home and was caught up when Jeter picked up the ball and threw home to Posada. Punto was unable to retreat and time and a throw from Posada to A-Rod at third was in time to record the first out in the inning. The Twins would go scoreless in the inning and the Yankees would tack on two more runs in the ninth to put the game and the series in the bag.
Mariano Rivera entered the game with two outs in the eighth and finished the game out for a four-out save.
So here we are, just four victories away from a trip to the World Series for the first time in six years. The Yankees will have a date with the Angels, who finished off the Red Sox earlier in the afternoon, in the ALCS beginning on Friday at a time still yet to be determined.
3 down, 8 to go.
The first half of this game was very tight, as Andy Pettitte and Carl Pavano were pretty much matching each other pitch for pitch through the first six innings or so. There was not even a baserunner until Melky Cabrera reached on an infield single in the third, and the Twins didn't put a man on until Michael Cuddyer led off the bottom of the fifth with a single.
The Twins were finally able to jump out ahead in the bottom of the sixth after Joe Mauer brought home Denard Span with an RBI single. With the way Pavano was pitching (yeah I know, that was weird to type), it looked like the Twins might hold on and force a Game 4 Monday evening.
It was all for naught though for the Twinkies as Alex Rodriguez tied the game for the second straight game with a home run that tied the game in the following inning. Two batters later, Jorge Posada put one out the other way to give the Yankees a 2–1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
What was probably the defining moment of the game came in the eighth inning with the Yankees still leading 2–1. With nobody out and Nick Punto representing the tying run at second for the Twins, Denard Span hit a grounder that was scooped up by Derek Jeter deep behind second base. Punto, probably thinking that the ball had gotten through, broke for home and was caught up when Jeter picked up the ball and threw home to Posada. Punto was unable to retreat and time and a throw from Posada to A-Rod at third was in time to record the first out in the inning. The Twins would go scoreless in the inning and the Yankees would tack on two more runs in the ninth to put the game and the series in the bag.
Mariano Rivera entered the game with two outs in the eighth and finished the game out for a four-out save.
So here we are, just four victories away from a trip to the World Series for the first time in six years. The Yankees will have a date with the Angels, who finished off the Red Sox earlier in the afternoon, in the ALCS beginning on Friday at a time still yet to be determined.
3 down, 8 to go.
Patrick wrote: