SportsOctober 3, 2003
NEW YORK -- Now that's more like what New York fans expect from a postseason game at Yankee Stadium. Andy Pettitte pitched another gem under pressure, Jason Giambi turned the boos to cheers and the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 Thursday night to even their best-of-five AL playoff series at a game apiece...
The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Now that's more like what New York fans expect from a postseason game at Yankee Stadium.

Andy Pettitte pitched another gem under pressure, Jason Giambi turned the boos to cheers and the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 Thursday night to even their best-of-five AL playoff series at a game apiece.

After a sloppy loss during the day in Game 1, the Yankees got their big ballpark in the Bronx rocking with a three-run seventh inning that snapped a 1-all tie. Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead single off LaTroy Hawkins, and this time it was the Twins who made defensive errors that opened the door.

Yankees manager Joe Torre took no chances, bringing in Mariano Rivera to pitch the final two innings for a save.

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The Yankees have the momentum heading into Game 3, but Minnesota has its home-field magic -- the Twins are 13-3 all-time in postseason games at the noisy Metrodome.

Roger Clemens pitches Saturday afternoon for New York in what could be the final start of his Hall of Fame career. Kyle Lohse pitches for Minnesota.

Twins starter Brad Radke hit Nick Johnson -- stuck in an 0-for-22 slump -- with a 1-2 pitch leading off the seventh. Juan Rivera's sacrifice moved Johnson up, and Hawkins, the winner in Game 1, entered to face Soriano.

Soriano singled sharply to left for a 2-1 lead. Derek Jeter followed with a chopper back to Hawkins, who hurriedly threw high off first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz's glove for an error that left runners at second and third.

Giambi grounded a hard single up the middle through a drawn-in infield for a 4-1 lead.

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