The New York Yankees have quickly established a formula for victory already in the 2011 season. Hit lots of home runs. Get quality starting pitching. Turn over a lead to a lock down bullpen. Listen to John Sterling scream 'Theeeee Yankees Win.'
Tuesday night against the Minnesota Twins that formula worked perfectly. Until It didn't anbd they wound up losing, 5-4, in 10 innings. The Yankee got a three-run home run from Mark Teixeira and a solo shot from Andruw Jones. They got seven shutout innings from CC Sabathia. They turned a 4-0 lead over to high-priced free-agent reliever Rafael Soriano. And watched the veteran right-hander, who saved 45 games a season ago for Tampa Bay, implode.
Soriano was charged with four runs in two-thirds of an inning, walking three and surrendering a hit as he and David Robertson combined to turn that 4-0 lead into a 4-4 tie. Boone Logan (0-1) gave up a leadoff walk and two singles, including the game-winning hit to Joe Mauer, without getting an out in the 10th inning to take the loss.
The big hit in the eighth was Delmon Young's bases-loaded bloop double that barely eluded Nick Swisher in right field, scoring all three runners. Mauer finished with two RBI and Matt Capps (1-0) pitched two perfect innings of relief for the win.