Eight batters into their game Monday night, the New York Yankees owned a 4-0 lead over the Minnesota Twins.
Twins Vs. Yankees: Rafael Soriano Blows Big Lead, Twins Win 5-4 In 10 Innings
No real surprise there, right? This affair was in the Bronx, and -- including postseason games -- the Yankees entered last night having taken 14 of their last 15 games against the Twins at home.
But then a couple of minor miracles happened.
First, Twins starter Brian Duensing settled down and held the Bombers scoreless from innings three through seven.
And second, the Twins tallied four runs in the eighth inning against Rafael Soriano, who makes $10 million this season and last season ranked as one of the game's most outstanding relief pitchers. Particularly miraculous were the Twins' three walks against Soriano, who last year issued only 14 walks all season, and had never walked more than two hitters in a single outing.
Thanks to Soriano's bizarre loss of control, the game went into extra innings, still tied at four runs apiece. In the top of the 10th, Joe Mauer drove in Denard Span with a single through a drawn-in infield. And in the bottom of the 10th, Joe Nathan shut down the Yankees -- capped with a Derek Jeter strikeout -- to save the Twins' 5-4 victory.
For one night at least, nobody can say Minnesotans can’t win in New York.
For more on the Yankees and Twins, please visit team blogs Pinstripe Alley and Twinkie Town.
See More:
