Minnesota catcher Drew Butera had doubled to center.  Then, New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez muffed a sacrifice bunt by Minnesota Denard Span.

With no one out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees and the Twins were tied at 2-2.  And they had the look of a team that was able to fold in to what looked like a compromising situation.   

But in typical New York fashion, the ball started to bounce their way.

Twins’ second baseman Orlando Hudson hit a sharp liner back through the box.  Only it didn’t make it through.  Andy Pettitte snatched it before it could sail over his head, securing the first out in the inning.

But coming to the plate was the reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer.  Mauer, who entered the game batting over .340, already had an RBI-single to his credit.  But you got the feeling that this at-bat was going to be one that decided the outcome of the contest. 

Siwsher's solo shot in the ninth won the game for the Yankees.

Mauer displayed great discipline in this plate appearance, working Pettitie to get the count in his favor three balls to one strike.  But the crafty lefty hurled a pitch that sailed away from Mauer.  It got enough of the plate that made it appear enticing, and Mauer was induced to ground into the 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. 

In the top of the ninth, the Twins brought in 6’11″ reliever Jon Rauch to keep the Yankees at bay.  However, with one out in the inning, Nick Swisher swatted his eighth home run of the season over the right field wall.  New York takes the lead on the solo shot, 3-2.

So, of course, it’s now Mariano Rivera time.  The 40-year-old set down the Twins in order by getting three groundouts to record his tenth save (after recording his ninth in the first game of the doubleheader earlier today).

It’s games like these that explain why Minnesota has come up short against New York in 11 of their last 12 meetings.  It was the kind of victory that couldn’t be any more typical of the New York Yankees.

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