Found October 11, 2009 on The Evil Empire:
New_york_yankees_1e54
INSIDER: Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada belted solo home runs as the Yankees closed out the final game at the Metrodome with a 4-1 victory over the Twins to wrap up a three-game American League Division Series sweep.The victory advances the Yankees to the AL Championship Series, where they will meet the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a best-of-seven set that will begin at Yankee Stadium on Friday at 7:37 p.m. ET on FOX.ON THE MOUND:Andy Pettitte making his 36th career postseason start pitched pretty decent. The lone run came on a Denard Span two-out single in the sixth inning and stole second before Orlando Cabrera walked, setting up Joe Mauer to stroke a ground single through the left side of the infield. Pettitte is now baseball's all-time leader in postseason innings pitched with 224 2/3, having broken a tie with Tom Glavine (218 1/3). Pettitte held the Twins to one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out seven. Andy accounted for the victory and he leads all of baseball with 15 postseason wins.Joba Chamberlain then relieved Pettitte and pitched 0.2 scoreless.Phil Hughes took over in the eighth, allowing a leadoff double to Nick Punto. But a heads-up play from shortstop Derek Jeter and Posada bailed out the Yankees.Jeter quickly raced to a a soft infield single by Span and fired home, with Punto rounding third base and sliding to a stop on the turf. Posada's snap throw to A-Rod at third nabbed Punto. A key play.Mariano Rivera then recorded a 4-out save, his first of this series sending the Yankees past the first round of the postseason for the first time since their 2004 ALCS loss to the Red Sox.THE OFFENSE:Carl Pavano was brilliant setting a new Twins postseason record with a nine-strikeout performance, but in the seventh, A-Rod continued his monster ALDS with a game-tying line-drive home run that struck the top row of the bleachers in right field.The shot was about 374 feet, the second homer of the series for Rodriguez -- who belted a ninth-inning shot to tie Game 2 in the Bronx -- and his ninth career postseason blast.An out later, Jorge Posada followed by delivering his first homer of the ALDS, driving a 1-0 Pavano offering just over the wall in left-center field, his 10th career postseason homer. Pavano completed seven fine innings in a losing decision, allowing two runs on five hits.The Yanks tacked on with a two-run ninth inning against Twins relievers. After Minnesota pitchers walked three straight batters, Jorge Posada hit an RBI single off closer Joe Nathan to make it a 3-1 game, and Robinson Cano blooped a hit to right field to make it 4-1 Yankees.THE BOX SCORE:NY Yankees AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Jeter, SS 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .400 Damon, LF 4 0 0 0 0 4 1 .083 Gardner, CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Teixeira, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 .167 Rodriguez, A, 3B 3 2 1 1 1 1 0 .455 Matsui, H, DH 3 0 1 0 1 2 0 .222 1-Hairston, J, PR-DH 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Posada, C 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 .364 Cano, 2B 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .167 Swisher, RF 4 0 0 0 0 3 3 .083 Cabrera, Me, CF-LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 .167 Totals 33 4 7 4 3 13 10 1-Ran for Matsui, H in the 9th. BATTING2B: Jeter (2, Pavano).HR: Rodriguez, A (2, 7th inning off Pavano, 0 on, 1 out), Posada (1, 7th inning off Pavano, 0 on, 2 out).TB: Jeter 2; Rodriguez, A 4; Matsui, H; Posada 5; Cano; Cabrera, Me.RBI: Rodriguez, A (6), Posada 2 (2), Cano (1).2-out RBI: Posada.Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Damon; Cabrera, Me 2.GIDP: Cano.Team RISP: 2-for-5.Team LOB: 5.FIELDINGOutfield assists: Swisher (Cuddyer at 2nd base).NY Yankees IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Pettitte (W, 1-0) 6.1 3 1 1 1 7 0 1.42 Chamberlain (H, 1) 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Hughes, P (H, 2) 0.2 2 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 Rivera, Ma (S, 1) 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0.00Pitches-strikes: Pettitte 81-58, Chamberlain 17-12, Hughes, P 14-9, Rivera, Ma 18-12,PLAYER OF THE GAME:UP NEXT:The victory advances the Yankees to the AL Championship Series, where they will meet the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a best-of-seven set that will begin at Yankee Stadium on Friday at 7:37 p.m. ET on FOX.

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