Yankees power past Twins to win AL wild-card game
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius and a brilliant bullpen rescued New York from a rugged start and lifted the Yankees to their first post-season win in five years.
Gregorius’ three-run homer tied the score after Minnesota knocked out Luis Severino in the first inning, a pumped-up Judge showed his most emotion this season when he hit a two-run shot in his post-season debut and the Yankees beat the Twins 8-4 Tuesday night in the AL wild-card game.
Brett Gardner also homered for the Yankees, who chased Ervin Santana after two innings and once again knocked the Twins out of the playoffs.
Chad Green, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman combined for 8 2/3 innings of one-run, five-hit relief.
New York opens the AL Division Series on Thursday at AL Central champion Cleveland. The Twins lost their 13th consecutive post-season game, tying the record set by Boston from 1986-95.
Brian Dozier led off the game with a home run and Eddie Rosario hit a two-run drive as the Twins burst to a quick lead and stunned the sellout crowd of 49,280 at Yankee Stadium.
But Santana was little better than Severino, going to full counts on eight of 11 batters. Gregorius erased the lead four batters into the bottom of the first, and Santana was removed after six outs and 64 pitches with the Twins trailing 4-3.
Minnesota, the first team to rebound from a 100-loss season and make the playoffs the following year, has been eliminated by the Yankees in five of its last six postseason appearances and has not won a playoff series since 2002.
Judge, the 6-foot-7 sensation who set a rookie record with 52 home runs, was given a Ruthian ovation, with several sections of fans holding signs in his honour spelling out “All Rise!” He scored three runs, singling to help ignite the first-inning rally, smoking a 108 m.p.h. home run off loser Jose Berrios in the fourth and walking in the seventh and coming home when Alan Busenitz walked Jacoby Ellsbury with the bases loaded.
New York had made just one postseason appearance since 2012, losing the 2015 wild-card game to Houston 3-0. Just three Yankees who started that game were in the starting lineup, part of a Baby Bombers movement that purged the roster of veterans.
At 23, Severino was the youngest Yankees post-season starter since Andy Pettitte in 1995.
The right-hander lasted only 29 pitches on a crisp autumn night and matched the Yankees’ shortest post-season start, by Bob Turley in the 1958 World Series and Art Ditmar in the 1960 World Series. Dozier homered into the left-field seats and Rosario lined a slider just over the right-field short porch.
Severino was shaking his head as he walked to the dugout and Green replaced him with runners at second and third. Green struck out Byron Buxton and Jason Castro, then fanned three in a row in the second.
Green gave up Jorge Polanco’s single and a pair of walks in the third. Robertson came in with the bases loaded and Buxton’s RBI grounder, then struck out Castro.
Robertson tired in the sixth but earned the win, leaving after 52 pitches and 3 1/3 innings — both career highs.