As the Red Sox get that sinking feeling, here's today's lineup:
Yankees: Jeter, Damon, Tex, A-Rod, Matsui, Posada, Cano, Swisher, Cabrera.
Twins: Span, Cabrera, Mauer, Cuddyer, Kubel, Young, Harris, Morales, Punto.
From our man B. Hoch, mlb.com: Andy Pettitte has not lost to the Twins since April 30, 2001. And, I'm sure the sentiment among the fans is this: If a pitcher ever owed them one - in the karmic sense - it's Carl Pavano, who was 9-8 in his four years in pinstripes.
There's plenty of reasons to like the Yanks tonight. Pettitte has pitched an enitre year's worth of postseason games, and Pavano hasn't started a playoff game since 2003 - though he was brilliant in the pivotal World Series Game 4 for Florida against the Yanks.
The Yankees have never lost a playoff game here in the Metrodome (4-0), which is out of the baseball business if the Yanks win tonight or tomorrow.
But, this is a key game if the Yankees want to align their pitching the way they want against...the Angels, who have just defeated Boston.
You'd want to save CC Sabathia for Game 1, and possibly 4 (on short rest) and 7 (if necessary) against Mike Scioscia's club. And manager Joe Girardi has his own concerns. "It doesn't take much for a team to get a little crack in the door and to feel good.
"They ran off a great stretch, (winning) 17 out of 21 games (to get to postseson). They are a dangerous team, and we know we have had many close games with them during the course of the season.''
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