MLB: New York Yankees 7, Minnesota 2

NEW YORK, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Derek Jeter's two-run homer brought New York back from an early deficit Wednesday and the Yankees opened the playoffs with a 7-2 victory over Minnesota.

Less than 24 hours after winning a dramatic tiebreak game over Detroit in Minneapolis, the Twins had to take the field against the team with the best record in baseball. Minnesota, which had won 17 of 21 games heading into the American League Division Series, continued to ride an emotional high by jumping to a 2-0 lead in the third.

Jeter then hit his home run in the bottom half of the inning and it was all New York after that. The teams will have an off day Thursday before resuming the best-of-five series in New York Friday.

The Yankees took the lead in the fourth when Nick Swisher's two-out double brought home Robinson Cano from first. Alex Rodriguez singled in a run in the fifth and then scored on Hideki Matsui's homer. Rodriguez delivered another RBI base hit in the seventh.

CC Sabathia, starting the sixth playoff game of his career and his first with New York, survived a shaky third inning to shut down the Twins, allowing two runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Rookie Brian Duensing gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss for the Twins.

New York failed to earn a post-season berth last year after making the playoffs 13 straight times.

The Yankees responded this season by paying $423.5 million for three players -- Sabathia, fellow pitcher A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira -- and went on to win 103 games in the regular season.