Yankees outlast Twins, walk off in 10th inning
NEW YORK -- Chase Headley hit a bases-loaded grounder off Glen Perkins in the bottom of the 10th inning, driving home the winning run and lifting the Yankees to a wild 8-7 victory over the Twins on Monday evening at Yankee Stadium.
Brian McCann homered and drove in five runs for the Yankees, slugging a three-run shot in the first inning and lining a two-run single in the third in a contest where New York's bullpen soaked up the final 8 1/3 innings after starter Bryan Mitchell was hit in the face by a line drive.
"It was huge, especially the way we won it," McCann said. "I can't say enough about our pitching staff. All season long, what they've meant to us, from starters to the bullpen to guys coming up from the Minor Leagues, stepping into huge roles, pitching huge innings for us -- I can't say enough about what those 12, 13 guys have done this season."
Carlos Beltran hit a game-tying home run in the sixth inning off Brian Duensing. Dellin Betances worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Andrew Miller pitched a perfect top half of the 10th before Greg Bird and McCann opened the home half with doubles, setting up the Yankees' third walk-off victory of the season after shortstop Eduardo Nunez booted Headley's grounder and threw him out at first because he had no play at home.
• In Yankee Stadium debut, Bird catalyst in win
"Our guys did a tremendous job fighting back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We got an outstanding performance from our bullpen tonight. I don't know what I have tomorrow, but we won tonight."
Video: MIN@NYY: Girardi on Mitchell's scary injury, 8-7 win
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Mitchell struck by liner: Mitchell sustained a small nasal fracture when he was struck in the face by Nunez's second-inning line drive. Attended to by head athletic trainer Steve Donohue, Mitchell was bleeding but walked off the field under his own power, holding a towel over his face. The Yankees said that they will monitor Mitchell for the next 24 hours to determine if he shows any signs of a concussion.
"We were able to hear him talking and he was calm," Headley said. "It seemed like he was doing pretty well for the circumstances, obviously. You could see the blood and you couldn't really see a whole lot because he had his hand over it, but we knew it was somewhat serious. To hear him talk and see him walk off the field was helpful for us to be able to try to move on the best we can." More >
Video: MIN@NYY: Mitchell exits with small nasal fracture
Trio of Twins go deep: Miguel Sano stayed hot, smacking a game-tying two-run blast in the third. It was the eighth homer of the year for the rookie, who has reached safely in 12 of his last 14 games. Aaron Hicks added a game-tying solo shot in the fourth for his eighth long ball of the season. And Trevor Plouffe crushed a solo blast to give the Twins a one-run lead in the fifth for his 18th homer.
Video: MIN@NYY: Hicks ties game in 4th with a solo home run
"There were just big at-bats throughout the game whether we were on offense or defense," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "There were a lot of good things. And clearly there were some things that weren't so good. But it's a game with the heat and the intensity of the game, I think everyone will feel the effects of that one."
Video: MIN@NYY: Plouffe gives Twins lead with homer in 5th
Big Mac attack: McCann tied a career high with five RBIs, and he accomplished the feat by the third inning. The Yankees backstop slugged a three-run homer, his 21st of the year, off Twins starter Kyle Gibson in the first inning and added a two-run single in the third. McCann has notched five RBIs in a game six other times in his career, most recently on June 18, 2014, vs. Toronto. McCann also threw out three runners stealing and had another big opportunity with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh, but he popped out against Casey Fien.
Video: MIN@NYY: McCann drives in five, catches three runners
"Just trying to stay consistent with my approach," McCann said. "Working counts, swinging at strikes is a big key for me. If I swing at strikes, I'm going to hit. Sometimes I chase, but if I can zone in and swing at strikes, I feel like I'm going to put the barrel on the ball."
Rosario shines offensively, defensively: Eddie Rosario went 2-for-5 at the plate, including coming through with a go-ahead RBI single in the third.
Video: MIN@NYY: Rosario drives in Plouffe with an RBI single
But it was his defense that helped the Twins in the bottom of the third, when he threw out Jacoby Ellsbury at home plate as he tried to score from second on a missed-catch error charged to Plouffe. Rosario followed that up with a sliding catch in shallow left that was originally ruled a trap but overturned after a replay review. More >
Video: MIN@NYY: Rosario cuts down Ellsbury at the plate
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira left the game in the sixth inning after fouling a ball off near his right knee. He was hobbled but stayed in the game to work a walk against Gibson, then exited for pinch-runner Bird. He's day to day after precautionary X-rays came back negative. More >
Video: MIN@NYY: Teixeira fouls ball off leg, leaves game
SINATRA NIGHT
Frank Sinatra Jr. filled Yankee Stadium with his voice as he sang the national anthem prior to the game. Sinatra Sr. would have turned 100 years old in four months, and the first 18,000 fans (21 and over) in attendance Monday were given a Frank Sinatra music download card. More >
Video: MIN@NYY: Frank Sinatra Jr. sings national anthem
QUOTABLE
"It's all my fault. The pitcher did his job. I have to do my job and make the play. It's all on my back. This game. I think I lost the game." -- Nunez, on Headley's grounder
Video: MIN@NYY: Headley on walk-off grounder, Yanks' 8-7 win
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The last time the Twins had at least 15 hits against the Yankees in New York came on May 17, 2002. The Twins also lost that game, 13-12, as both teams had exactly 20 hits.
Video: Beltran swinging a hot bat over his last four games
REPLAY REVIEWS
With runners at first and third and one out in the third inning, Teixeira hit a pop fly to shallow left field and Rosario made a sliding attempt for it. Third-base umpire Angel Hernandez ruled he didn't catch it, which caused Rosario to throw to second base for a forceout. But the Twins challenged the call on the field, and it was ultimately overturned and ruled as a catch for Rosario, placing runners at first and third base.
Video: MIN@NYY: Rosario makes a diving catch after review
The umpire crew reviewed a potential home run from Brian Dozier in the sixth that was originally ruled foul down the left-field line. After a review, it was confirmed as a foul ball. Dozier struck out on the next pitch, the 12th of his at-bat.
Video: MIN@NYY: Umpires confirm foul ball in the 6th inning
In the seventh, the Yankees challenged a call in which Nunez was ruled to have stolen second base. But the call was overturned, and McCann had his third caught-stealing of the game.
Video: MIN@NYY: Nunez thrown out after review in the 7th
WHAT'S NEXT
Twins: Right-hander Mike Pelfrey starts in the second game of the series on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT. He's coming off a strong start against the Rangers, against whom he gave up one run over seven innings in a win on Wednesday. He has a 2.41 ERA over his last three outings.
Yankees: After having his start pushed back by a day, left-hander CC Sabathia takes the ball on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Sabathia last pitched Wednesday at Cleveland and took the loss in a 2-1 defeat. He hasn't won since July 8 at Oakland, a span of five starts.
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