Old horse Pettitte gives Yankees two game lead
Andy Pettitte put in a classic performance at Target Field on Thursday delivering seven strong innings in a 5-2 New York Yankee win over the Minnesota Twins.
The 38-year-old gave up two runs and struck-out four batters to give leave the Yankees just one win away from making the next round of the play-offs, taking away the home-field advantage the Twins were hoping to capitalise on.
"I think yesterday, I told the guys I have never felt so unprepared going into the play-offs. Really, I felt like I would have a good outing, but it was so similar. I got locked in. Mechanically, I just felt great,” Pettitte said.
Manager Joe Girardi was more than pleased with his veteran’s performance.
“He was tremendous. I thought he used his fastball, curveball and cutter extremely well tonight. I thought the big inning was the second inning, when they had the bases loaded with one out, and he only gave up one run."
Lance Berkman, who struggled mightily for the Yankees during the regular season since his trade from the Houston Astros, hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and then delivered a go-ahead double in the seventh inning. From then on there was no way back for the Twins, with Kerry Wood setting up Mariano Rivera for his 41st post-season save.
"It's one game, but every game in the postseason is a big game. I feel good about the contribution. I'd like to keep making those contributions going forward. That will bond you to your teammates really quickly, when you start getting big hits in the playoffs,” Berkman said.
The defeat was Minnesota’s 11th play-off defeat in-a-row and eight to the Yankees, but manager Ron Gardenhire isn’t losing hope.
"We've got a big hill to climb. It's not going to be easy, but it can be done, we've seen it done before, and this club is never going to quit.”
Game three is on Saturday night in New York.
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