Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Andy Pettitte dominating for the Yankees in the postseason is as familiar to New Yorkers as cheese cake and floppy slices of pizza.

But Alex Rodriguez suddenly finding his October swing? That's a new addition to the Bronx Bombers' menu for playoff success.

Rodriguez and Jorge Posada hit seventh-inning home runs and Pettitte was brilliant for 6 1-3 innings to help the Yankees advance to their first ALCS in five years with a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their division series on Sunday night.

A-Rod's long ball tied the game 1-1 in the seventh, the second time in as many games he's hit a huge home run. His two-run shot off Twins closer Joe Nathan in the ninth inning of Game 2 tied the game New York eventually won in 11 innings.

"Without Alex, we are not in this situation right now," said manager Joe Girardi, whose Yankees will host the Los Angeles Angels in Game 1 of the ALCS on Friday.

It was a statement series for one of the most talented players -- and one of the biggest targets for criticism -- in the game. Baseball's highest-paid player carried a .136 postseason average into this series and has been criticized in the Big Apple for his big-game failures and admission to using steroids when he was with the Texas Rangers.

But he was 5 for 11 (.455) with two homers and six RBIs in the three-game sweep of the Twins.

"For A-Rod to have the series he had was absolutely tremendous," outfielder Nick Swisher said. "To put everyone else, just a nice little zipper over their lips for the way he's played in the postseason thus far. It's a great feeling, a great thing to see."

These new, looser Yankees have rallied around Rodriguez, and he has been visibly more relaxed since returning from hip surgery that caused him to miss the first month of the season.

"I knew that I couldn't change all the 0-for-4s, 0-for-5s and all the guys I left on base," Rodriguez said. "I'm content right now, both on and off the field."

Rodriguez's homer in the seventh helped make up for the lone blemish on a sterling start from Pettitte, who gave up one run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. He carried a perfect game through four innings, but was nearly matched pitch for pitch by former Yankee Carl Pavano.

Joe Mauer's RBI-single in the sixth inning broke a scoreless tie and got the Metrodome rocking, but Rodriguez and Posada quickly responded to put the Yankees back in control.

"It seems like the whole postseason so far, we are kind of sputtering along a little bit and maybe when we give up the lead, our guys fire right back and score some runs," said Pettitte, who tied John Smoltz atop the career list with his 15th postseason win.

Mariano Rivera got the last four outs in the final baseball game at the Metrodome, which didn't go quietly.

More than 54,000 Homer Hanky-waving fans brought plenty of nervous energy into the building after the Twins blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning of Game 2 in New York.

Pavano kept the powerful Yankee lineup on ice for the first five innings, and the place erupted when Mauer's single scored Denard Span for a 1-0 lead in the sixth.

But Pavano, who allowed two runs on five hits with a season-high nine strikeouts in seven innings, gave up the solo homers to Rodriguez and Posada before another baserunning mistake doomed the Twins.

"Late in the game, to give up those two home runs, I felt it deflated us a little bit and it was tough to get out of that hole," Pavano said.

Nick Punto led off the eighth with a double, then rounded third base hard on a dribbler up the middle by Span. But Derek Jeter cut it off before it hit the outfield and fired home to Posada.

Punto ran through a stop sign from third base coach Scott Ullger, then slammed on the brakes. But it was too late. Posada threw Punto out at third base, squelching a potential rally.

"You can go from hero to goat real quick," said Punto, who threw Detroit's Miguel Cabrera out at home in the 12th inning of Minnesota's win over the Tigers in the one-game playoff for the AL Central crown Tuesday. "Tonight I was the goat."

Mariano Rivera got four outs for the save, slamming on the door on 28 years of pro baseball in the Dome. The Twins will move into brand new outdoor Target Field next season, but weren't quite ready to leave this place yet.

It was a disappointing conclusion to a memorable final season under the roof. The Twins went 17-4 down the stretch and became the first team in league history to come from three games behind with four to play to win the division, thanks in large part to the raucous environment at the Metrodome.

"It was a great run this place had," first baseman Michael Cuddyer said. "It went away kicking and screaming."

NOTES: Pavano's nine strikeouts marked a Twins record for a postseason game. Not even Jack Morris had that many in those 10 shutout innings of Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Morris struck out eight. ... After his rare unassisted double play in field, Cuddyer was thrown out on an even rarer 9-6 fielder's choice. The low liner skipped past Cano at second base so fast Nick Swisher was able to field it in right and throw for the force out. ... Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, who has been on the staff since 1981, threw out the honorary first pitch. ... The Yankees are 51-1 this season when limiting their opponent to two runs or less.

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