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Twins rally against bullpen, down Yankees in 10

Apr 6, 2011 - 4:51 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Joe Mauer singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning after the Twins rallied to tie the game with four runs in the eighth, lifting Minnesota to a 5-4 victory over the Yankees.

So good through the first four games of the season, the Yankees bullpen gave up all five Minnesota runs to ruin a sparkling start by CC Sabathia, who left with a 4-0 lead after seven innings.

The big knock in the eighth was Delmon Young's bases-loaded bloop double that got past Nick Swisher in right field, scoring all three runners. Mauer finished with two RBI and Matt Capps (1-0) threw two perfect innings of relief for the win.

Joe Nathan pitched a perfect 10th, striking out Derek Jeter to end the game and record his second save.

"You don't ever want to look back at the end of a season and say we should have won this game, should have won that one, but this was a tough loss for us," said Swisher.

Sabathia was cruising before Yankees manager Joe Girardi went to the bullpen. He gave up only two hits -- back-to-back singles to Jason Kubel and Danny Valencia with one out in the second inning -- walked one and struck out six.

Rafael Soriano was charged with all four runs in the eighth and Boone Logan (0-1) took the loss without retiring a batter in the 10th.

Mark Teixeira belted his fourth homer of the season for New York, a three-run blast in the first inning. Andruw Jones hit a solo homer in his first at bat in a Yankees uniform, giving them a team-record 13 round-trippers in their first five games.

The Twins earned a rare road win against the Yankees, improving to just 2-14 in their last 16 games in the Bronx.

"When we come here to play them it's a learning experience for us always," said Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire. "You have to find a way to beat these guys. Tonight we did."

Girardi yanked Sabathia for Soriano to start the eighth and the Twins loaded the bases with one out. Soriano walked Mauer with two outs, scoring the first run, and David Robertson gave up Young's bases-clearing double to tie the game at 4-4.

Young's hit dropped in front of Swisher, who slid for it but came up well short, allowing all the runners to score.

Girardi went to closer Mariano Rivera for a scoreless ninth -- he gave up a hit and struck out two -- but Logan walked Denard Span leading off the 10th, starting the Twins rally.

The Yankees continued to slug homers, starting with Teixeira's three-run blast to left field in the first inning, which scored Jeter and Swisher. It was the switch-hitting Teixeira's fourth home run of the season and first from the right side.

Jones made it 4-0 in the second inning, smacking Brian Duensing's 3-2 fastball just over the left field wall after falling behind in the count 0-2.

Duensing, the Twins starter, gave up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven in the no decision.

Game Notes

There are two games left in the four-game series...The Yankees signed Jones, once a feared slugger, to a one-year contract worth a reported $2 million to be a right-handed bat off the bench...Swisher and Minnesota's Jason Kubel were the only players with two hits.