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The Line:
Minn: +148 9.5 u 101
NYY: -156 9.5 u -111
Pitchers:
B.Radke (R) 11-8 3.48 ERA
J.Lieber (R) 14-8 4.33 ERA
Trends:
• Away team is 5-2 in Wegner's last seven BHP.
• MIN has lost Radke's last three starts.
• Under is 7-2 in Minnesota last nine overall.
• NYY is 12-3 in Lieber's last 15 home starts.
• Under is 6-1 in the Yanks last seven overall.
• New York is 16-4 in the last 20 meetings.
Notes:
Brad Radke and the Minnesota Twins were in the same situation last year.
This time, however, they hope to take a 2-0 lead back to Minnesota as they continue their best-of-five AL Division series with the New York Yankees.
For the second straight year, the Twins took Game 1 in the Bronx from the Yankees as they turned a record-setting five double plays to back AL Cy Young candidate Johan Santana in a 2-0 victory. In the opener of last season's ALDS, Santana and four Minnesota relievers combined to beat New York 3-1.
Radke took the ball for Game 2 of that series against Andy Pettitte and lost 4-1 despite yielding two runs and five hits over 6 2-3 solid innings. The Twins did not win another game, failing to return to the AL championship series for a second straight year.
Radke, 4-4 with a 2.19 ERA in the postseason, will try for a different result this time.
``I'm just happy to be a part of this team right now,'' he said. ``You know, especially over the last couple of years, we've done a lot. You know, just being out there in a playoff atmosphere and a playoff game, it's unbelievable and it's going to be a lot of fun.''
Radke won't have to deal with Pettitte, the winner of a major league record-tying 13 postseason games, this year. The left-hander signed as a free agent with Houston this past offseason.
The pitching-thin Yankees will instead send Jon Lieber to the mound, hoping the right-hander can send them back to Minnesota tied at 1-1 for a second straight October.
Lieber, who missed all of last year while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, was the Yankees' hottest pitcher in September. He went 5-0 in six starts last month, including a 5-4 victory over the Twins last Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
Unlike Radke, however, Lieber will be making his first career postseason start.
``Probably the best thing I've got going for me right now is my family being here, my wife and three kids,'' Lieber said. ``I think if anything, they are going to keep me a little relaxed before I come to the ballpark. So I'm really looking forward to it, and just getting the chance to be out there.''
Lieber has been very effective at home this year, going 11-3 with a 3.68 ERA in 15 starts -- including wins in his last five at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees, who were shut out in Game 6 of last year's World Series by Florida right-hander Josh Beckett, have gone 18 straight postseason innings without a run.
``It was a hard loss,'' Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams said.
Santana threw seven strong innings and Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan closed out the victory, which was highlighted by several sparkling defensive plays, including center fielder Torii Hunter's leaping catch at the wall to rob Alex Rodriguez in the eighth.
Jacque Jones, playing his first game since the death of his father, hit a solo homer off Yankees starter Mike Mussina in the sixth inning to give Minnesota a seemingly insurmountable 2-0 lead with the way Santana was shutting down the Yankees.
Shannon Stewart also drove in a run for the Twins, who used stellar defense and timely hitting to take home-field advantage in the series, with Games 3 and 4 in Minnesota this weekend.
Minnesota had lost 20 of its previous 23 games against the Yankees, including last year's playoff series.
The Twins suffered a three-game sweep in New York last week, but Santana and Radke were both limited to five innings in their outings during that series, and both left their respective games with leads.
The Yankees have dropped the first-round opener in three of the last four seasons -- winning the series each time, but losing to Anaheim two years ago after leading 1-0.
``It is a great feeling, you know, to beat the New York Yankees, one of the best teams in baseball,'' said Santana. ``But also it's good for the team because now we know, taking Game 1, we go back home and having a chance to win the division series, it's going to be tough but that's what we want.''
ANALYSIS:
The Yankees actually hit the ball hard yesterday just bad luck and great twins defense, they are due to break out and will do so today against Radke. Leiber has been very solid down the stretch and solid at home all year. They will bounce back strong today after there customary game 1 loss.
THE EVIL EMPIRE WINS TONIGHT
Minn: +148 9.5 u 101
NYY: -156 9.5 u -111
Pitchers:
B.Radke (R) 11-8 3.48 ERA
J.Lieber (R) 14-8 4.33 ERA
Trends:
• Away team is 5-2 in Wegner's last seven BHP.
• MIN has lost Radke's last three starts.
• Under is 7-2 in Minnesota last nine overall.
• NYY is 12-3 in Lieber's last 15 home starts.
• Under is 6-1 in the Yanks last seven overall.
• New York is 16-4 in the last 20 meetings.
Notes:
Brad Radke and the Minnesota Twins were in the same situation last year.
This time, however, they hope to take a 2-0 lead back to Minnesota as they continue their best-of-five AL Division series with the New York Yankees.
For the second straight year, the Twins took Game 1 in the Bronx from the Yankees as they turned a record-setting five double plays to back AL Cy Young candidate Johan Santana in a 2-0 victory. In the opener of last season's ALDS, Santana and four Minnesota relievers combined to beat New York 3-1.
Radke took the ball for Game 2 of that series against Andy Pettitte and lost 4-1 despite yielding two runs and five hits over 6 2-3 solid innings. The Twins did not win another game, failing to return to the AL championship series for a second straight year.
Radke, 4-4 with a 2.19 ERA in the postseason, will try for a different result this time.
``I'm just happy to be a part of this team right now,'' he said. ``You know, especially over the last couple of years, we've done a lot. You know, just being out there in a playoff atmosphere and a playoff game, it's unbelievable and it's going to be a lot of fun.''
Radke won't have to deal with Pettitte, the winner of a major league record-tying 13 postseason games, this year. The left-hander signed as a free agent with Houston this past offseason.
The pitching-thin Yankees will instead send Jon Lieber to the mound, hoping the right-hander can send them back to Minnesota tied at 1-1 for a second straight October.
Lieber, who missed all of last year while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, was the Yankees' hottest pitcher in September. He went 5-0 in six starts last month, including a 5-4 victory over the Twins last Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
Unlike Radke, however, Lieber will be making his first career postseason start.
``Probably the best thing I've got going for me right now is my family being here, my wife and three kids,'' Lieber said. ``I think if anything, they are going to keep me a little relaxed before I come to the ballpark. So I'm really looking forward to it, and just getting the chance to be out there.''
Lieber has been very effective at home this year, going 11-3 with a 3.68 ERA in 15 starts -- including wins in his last five at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees, who were shut out in Game 6 of last year's World Series by Florida right-hander Josh Beckett, have gone 18 straight postseason innings without a run.
``It was a hard loss,'' Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams said.
Santana threw seven strong innings and Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan closed out the victory, which was highlighted by several sparkling defensive plays, including center fielder Torii Hunter's leaping catch at the wall to rob Alex Rodriguez in the eighth.
Jacque Jones, playing his first game since the death of his father, hit a solo homer off Yankees starter Mike Mussina in the sixth inning to give Minnesota a seemingly insurmountable 2-0 lead with the way Santana was shutting down the Yankees.
Shannon Stewart also drove in a run for the Twins, who used stellar defense and timely hitting to take home-field advantage in the series, with Games 3 and 4 in Minnesota this weekend.
Minnesota had lost 20 of its previous 23 games against the Yankees, including last year's playoff series.
The Twins suffered a three-game sweep in New York last week, but Santana and Radke were both limited to five innings in their outings during that series, and both left their respective games with leads.
The Yankees have dropped the first-round opener in three of the last four seasons -- winning the series each time, but losing to Anaheim two years ago after leading 1-0.
``It is a great feeling, you know, to beat the New York Yankees, one of the best teams in baseball,'' said Santana. ``But also it's good for the team because now we know, taking Game 1, we go back home and having a chance to win the division series, it's going to be tough but that's what we want.''
ANALYSIS:
The Yankees actually hit the ball hard yesterday just bad luck and great twins defense, they are due to break out and will do so today against Radke. Leiber has been very solid down the stretch and solid at home all year. They will bounce back strong today after there customary game 1 loss.
THE EVIL EMPIRE WINS TONIGHT