Mark Teixeira hit a tie

Mark Teixeira hit a tie, two-run homer in the seventh inning to rally the New York Yankees over the Minnesota Twins, 6-4, Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Division Series American League.
Yankees ace CC Sabathia worked, but reliever David Robertson struck Jim Thome in a key and Mariano Rivera got the final four outs to close another victory for the defending champions of the World Series.
The Yankees rallied from a 3-0 deficit against Francisco Liriano and improved to 10-2 against the Twins in the postseason since 2003.
Even a call, driven by the referees - shadows of the past two playoffs - that was against the Yankees with two outs in the bottom of the ninth will not hurt them.
"It's just bad luck of Minnesota. We just keep fighting. That's a great team over there. We have played many tough games against them," said Teixeira.
Michael Cuddyer hit a homer, double and two RBIs for the Twins, who played his first playoff game outdoors in Minnesota since 1970.
They expected a ragged movement of beautiful outdoor Metrodome Target Field to turn its fortunes around, but it was more of the same against the powerful Yankees.

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Mariano Rivera NYY

Before Game 1 Division Series American League New York Yankees, Joe Girardi, said they have "fear" about the use of closer Mariano Rivera for a period of four to save.
No one bothered to ask about a five to save.
Rivera got the final out of the eighth inning, leaving the tying run at second base. In the ninth, a missed call on what should have been the final out of the game required Rivera to pick up the third out twice. Therefore, the four output, except in the box score, but the five-out, except in reality.


After their 6-4 Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees stole home-field advantage, but looked closer I usually do at this time of year. Better than ever. Or at least better than it has seen recently.
"That's as good as he has been in a long time," Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland said.
Rivera is posteason 40th career save, 31 of which have lasted more than one entry. Closers closest in terms of postseason saves of four outs or more Goose Gossage (seven), Dennis Eckersley (six) and Rollie Fingers (six).
After struggling in September, Rivera entered the playoffs as a question mark. Even Girardi sounded like he was a little worried about what Rivera had left after 40 birthday.
"There is fear in using it for more than three outs?" Girardi said. "Maybe a little."
In the eighth inning with runners on second and third and two men, some fear had evaporated apparently because Girardi turned to Rivera. And Rivera, with cutter, just destroyed Denard Span bat, causing a weak grounder to Derek Jeter to end the entry and preserve the lead.
"I would not want anyone else out there," Jeter said of Rivera would later.
Rivera went to the ninth and, after breaking a racket little more during the first two outs, Delmon Young hit a liner to right that caught Greg Golson, but the referees ruled that he had caught. While Girardi said, Rivera stayed calm.
"It's part of the game and we just have to get the guy next door," Rivera said.
The guy next door to was Jim Thome, who forced Rivera to pop to third.
Rivera was in charge of his new court. The slight change in the grip Eiland and Rivera held in September appears to have been the magic potion. At least, was the first night of the playoffs.
"When Mo starts breaking bats, you know he has his stuff very well," said Eiland.
Rivera did Wednesday. It seemed like he always does at this time of year. Longer meets the Twins in the eighth inning, overcame a bad decision in the ninth inning and the Yankees to ensure at least have the home advantage when they leave here after Game 2.

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Roy Halladay

In a showcase at Citizens Bank Park is a bronze of the right hand of Roy Halladay. He holds a baseball official, stamped with a hologram, commemorating his perfect game in May.
Halladay did not allow a runner to reach base that night, and the Philadelphia Phillies have thought that this was the most he could not. But given the setting Wednesday, he found a way to top himself.


Halladay threw the second no-hitter in postseason history and the first since the perfect game Don Larsen for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series. He countered the Cincinnati Reds, the highest scoring team in the NHL this season in a 4-0 win in Game 1 of their division playoff series.

Halladay allowed only one runner on a walk to Jay Bruce with two in the fifth inning, and only a few hard hit balls. He struck out eight, with exceptional control of his fastball, cut into two sewing, gear change and curveball.

The game was bound to be memorable for Halladay, decorated right turn that had worked for 12 years with another competitor Blue Jays until the trade to the Phillies last December. His 320 career starts were more than any other active pitcher who had never appeared in the playoffs.

"It was fun," Halladay said last week, after closing the Washington Nationals to clinch the NL East title. "But it's only going more fun."

Halladay could not know the truth in this observation inelegant. He learned early in his career the difficulty of the non-striker may be, to lose one to two in the ninth inning of his second start as a rookie in 1998. It was not until this May 29, on the road against the Florida Marlins for Halladay to throw a no-hitter. He did it in style, with the 20th perfect game in major league history.

Its achievement is the starter Wednesday Halladay fifth in major league history to throw two no hitters in one season. The others are Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds in 1938, Allie Reynolds of the Yankees in 1951, Virgil Trucks of the Detroit Tigers in 1952 and Nolan Ryan of the California Angels in 1973.

It also continued a trend in the majors this season. Halladay gem was the sixth without batting since opening day, slightly less than the major league record in a season. Another potential source of non-hitter - a perfect game, in fact, by Armando Galarraga Detroit - has been ruined by blown call an umpire for two in the ninth inning.

Halladay, 33, went 21-10 this season, leading the league in complete games and sleeves, and he should win his second Cy Young Award. It was all the Phillies could have hoped when they traded three prospects to Toronto to do it, then it has signed a contract extension that could reach $ 80 million four years.

The movement has been something of a gamble for the Phillies, who traded their ace simultaneously 2009, Cliff Lee, the Seattle Mariners. Lee had beaten the Yankees twice last fall to the Phillies victory in the World Series.

Lee has remained an ace - now with the Texas Rangers, he beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday with a solid seven innings in Game 1 of a series of American League division - but Halladay injected a further element of despair for the Phillies' two-time reigning NL champions. If ever there was a danger of more and more of their complacency, their presence has cleared.

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