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Twins-Yankees Preview

May 15, 2010 - 4:09 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Minnesota (22-12) at New York (22-12), 1:05 p.m. EDT

The New York Yankees continue to use comebacks to frustrate the Minnesota Twins.

After using an historic grand slam by Alex Rodriguez to win the opener of a three-game set, the Yankees look to make it 12 straight victories over the Twins on Saturday.

New York (23-12) won 8-4 on Friday, improving to 28-5 at home against Minnesota (22-13) since 2002, including playoffs. The Yankees' 11-game overall win streak includes last year's sweep in a division series, and New York has also won 11 in a row at home versus the Twins.

"I will not say that we have their number," closer Mariano Rivera said. "It's just the game happens like that."

Minnesota's brief history at the new Yankee Stadium has been especially frustrating. The Twins have blown leads in the seventh inning or later in five of their seven losses in the Bronx since the start of last season.

That was the case again Friday. The Twins rallied for a 4-3 lead in the seventh on RBIs by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. In the bottom of the frame, Minnesota opted for the unusual move of intentionally walking Mark Teixeira to load the bases in front of Rodriguez, who hit his fourth homer of the year to pass Frank Robinson for seventh place on the all-time list with 587.

"That's why I hit fourth," Rodriguez said. "My team is expecting me to get big hits in those type of situations."

The grand slam was Rodriguez's 19th, trailing only Manny Ramirez's 21 and Lou Gehrig's record 23.

The Yankees are a major league-best 11-2 at home.

It may not be easy for the Twins to bounce back Saturday when they face Andy Pettitte (4-0, 2.08 ERA), who is 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA in his last 11 regular-season starts against them with four straight wins. Morneau and Mauer, however, are both 4 for 10 against him.

Pettitte, who has yielded two runs or fewer in five of six outings, is making his first start since May 5 after being held out due to an inflamed elbow. The left-hander came through OK in his last session Thursday before this start.

"I threw my 'pen (session) and threw everything, and it felt good," Pettitte told the Yankees' official website. "I'm ready to go."

Catcher Jorge Posada is expected to return to the lineup after resting Friday, but right fielder Nick Swisher may not be available. Swisher left after three innings with a left biceps strain and was replaced by Randy Winn.

Mauer and Morneau went 5 for 8 while the rest of the Twins combined to go 4 for 25 in the series opener. Mauer ended a 91 at-bat drought without a homer when he went deep in the fifth inning.

Minnesota will turn to its best starter in Francisco Liriano (4-1, 2.36). He suffered his first loss last Saturday, allowing a season-high five runs over six innings in a 7-3 setback to Baltimore.

The left-hander is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in two starts against the Yankees - both last season.