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Mussina hurt as Yankees fall to Twins

Apr 12, 2007 - 5:26 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees could not solve Ramon Ortiz, but they are more concerned about the health of Mike Mussina.

Mussina left the game in the third inning in the New York Yankees' 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Ramon Ortiz pitched eight strong innings and Joe Mauer ignited a four-run eighth inning for the Twins, who nearly matched their offensive output from the past four games in that frame.

The latest New York pitcher to go down with an injury, Mussina pulled up awkwardly after delivering a pitch to Luis Castillo and left minutes later after consulting with team trainers.

"It felt like little more than a cramp," Mussina said. "I'm going to guess, realistically, I'll probably miss my next start for sure."

"We hope not, but we're not ruling that out," New York manager Joe Torre said. Torre added that Darrell Rasner would probably get the start in Mussina's place if he does have to miss a start.

Ace Chien-Ming Wang already is on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring injury and Jeff Karstens, his likely replacement in the rotation, is out with elbow stiffness. Hideki Matsui was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday with a strained hamstring, and Johnny Damon missed time last week with strained calves.

"Its an unfortunate thing," Damon said. "We wish we could pinpoint it as a team, whether or not its the way we're working or if its because we're all getting old. I know in New York it was pretty cold. That could have contributed to mine and Matsui's."

On Tuesday, it was the Yankees who were cold, as Ortiz beat them for the first time since August 20, 2004 as a member of the Angels and improved to 4-1 lifetime in 13 career games (10 starts) against New York.

Ortiz (2-0) allowed one run and three hits while striking out four and walking one to pick up his second win of the season in as many starts.

"I've seen the Yankees a lot of times," Ortiz said. "I'm not afraid. When I've got the ball, it doesn't matter who is coming. I'm ready to go."

"Ortiz was really good," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He gave us a huge lift. Our bullpen needed it without very much out there and our team needed it. We've been beat around a little bit."

Still, it took an eighth-inning surge off of Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth (0-1) to give Ortiz the run support he needed. Minnesota managed just three runs in the first two games of the series and six runs in their last four contests.

"We've been struggling the last four days," Twins outfielder Torii Hunter said. "Those two days in Chicago (against the White Sox) were cold. I think that set us back a little bit. It took us two or three days to kind of get back our focus, but I think today was that day."

Mauer broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI single. Michael Cuddyer plated Mauer with another single before Justin Morneau and Hunter followed with back-to-back RBI doubles to provide the winning margin.

Cuddyer's RBI single in the sixth inning scored Nick Punto for Minnesota's first run.

New York threatened in the top of the ninth inning, but Minnesota closer Joe Nathan got Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada to pop out with runners on second and third to end the game.

Alex Rodriguez plated the Yankees' lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.