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Yankees, Twins ready to resume rain-shortened set

Apr 7, 2011 - 2:57 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Yankees turn to A.J. Burnett to try to get them a series win when they wrap up what is now a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins this afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

This was slated to be a four-game affair, but Wednesday's contest was postponed due to rain and a makeup date has yet to be announced.

Both teams juggled their rotations with the postponement, as Freddy Garcia's Yankee debut will be pushed back a week to keep Burnett on track, while Minnesota's Carl Pavano will now start on Friday and avoid the wrath of the fans in the Bronx, where he spent four tumultuous seasons with the Yankees.

Francisco Liriano will instead go for the Twins this afternoon.

"We just want to keep Liriano on his day," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Pavano can make an adjustment a little easier right now."

Coming off the worst statistical season ever by a Yankees starter, Burnett was sharp early on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers before running into trouble in the fifth. Still, he earned the win after surrendering three runs and five hits in five innings. Burnett also fanned six and walked a batter.

Burnett has faced the Twins eight times and is 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in those outings. He has also struck out 50 batters in 50 1/3 frames against them.

Liriano, meanwhile, was charged with the loss in his first start Saturday in Toronto, as the Blue Jays hit him for four runs in 4 1/3 innings. The lefty also walked five batters.

In five games (four starts) against the Yankees, Liriano is 0-2 but has pitched to a 3.12 ERA.

Minnesota pulled out an improbable win to even this set at a game apiece on Tuesday, as Joe Mauer singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning after the team had tied the game with four runs in the eighth, lifting the Twins to a 5-4 victory.

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

CC 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.

"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.

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 the club a team-record 13 round-trippers in its first five games.

Teixeira, who batted .136 last April, is hitting .333 with 10 RBI and six runs scored through New York's 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. [Tuesday] we did."

Not only have the Yankees beaten the Twins in all four postseason series played between the two - including the last two ALDS - they have also won 12 of the last 15 regular-season matchups in the series.