MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A towering seventh-inning homer by Mark Teixeira put New York in front Wednesday and the Yankees opened the playoffs with a 6-4 victory over Minnesota.
New York rallied from a three-run deficit in Game 1 of the American League Division Series and handed the Twins their 10th consecutive playoff loss. Seven of those setbacks have been to the defending-champion Yankees.
Mariano Rivera got the third out of the eighth inning with the tying runs in scoring position and the 40-year-old closer then worked the ninth to collect the 40th post-season save of his career.
Minnesota was coasting with a 3-0 lead in the sixth, Francisco Liriano having given up just two hits to that point and retired 10 in a row. Teixeira, however, started a surge in which five out of six New York batters reached base.
Teixeira doubled, Alex Rodriguez walked, Robinson Cano singled in Teixeira, Jorge Posada singled home Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson tripled in two more runs to put the Yankees ahead.
Minnesota came back to tie it in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded, four-pitch, two-out walk to Danny Valencia issued by CC Sabathia. New York regained the advantage for good when Nick Swisher reached on a one-out single off Jesse Crain and Teixeira followed with a home run deep into the right field seats.
Sabathia (6-4 in post-season play) got the win with his six-inning effort. Crain took the loss, his first playoff decision in four career appearances.
Michael Cuddyer put Minnesota ahead early with a two-run homer in the second and Orlando Hudson scored on a passed ball in the third.
Andy Pettitte will pitch for New York and Carl Pavano for the Twins Thursday in Game 2 of the best-of-five series.
