2004 Yankees-Twins ALDS recap
Yankees defeat Twins, 3 games to 1
AL Cy Young winner Johan Santana outdueled Yankees veteran Mike Mussina for a 2-0 Twins victory in Game 1 before the Yankees rattled off three straight wins to take the series.
Two of New York's three victories were one-run, extra-inning wins.
Down, 6-5, in the 12th inning of Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez drove in a run off Twins closer Joe Nathan with a ground-rule double and Hideki Matsui drove in the game-winner on a sacrifice fly. In Game 4, Rodriguez broke an 11th-inning 5-5 tie by scoring on a Kyle Lohse wild pitch before winner Mariano Rivera shut the door.
Rodriguez had a series-high eight hits, while Michael Cuddyer had seven for the Twins.
Rivera made four appearances, earning one win and scattering two hits and two strikeouts over 5 2/3 shutout innings. In two starts, Santana allowed just one run (on 14 hits) over 12 innings while striking out 12.
Path to the ALDS: Minnesota (92-70) won the AL Central by nine games; New York (101-61) won the AL East by three games
Managers: Joe Torre, NYY; Ron Gardenhire, MIN