Led by the Captain Derek Jeter, the Yankees christened their new ball park on the night of its first playoff display, thundering to a dominating 7-2 win over the Central Division champion Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
Featuring themes of tradition, redemption, and refined execution, the Yankees captured the incredibly important first game of the five-game series. And from a physiological and thematic standpoint, the win made a statement that there are prominent differences between the overrated, power dependent, pitching deficient squads that have folded in the playoffs every year since 2002 and this current Yankees incarnation.
In the bottom of the third it was the Twins who drew first blood, silencing the Bronx crowd by taking a 2-run lead on pitcher CC Sabathia. The park had the feel of Fenway with the "here we go again" look firmly implanted on the faces of most in attendance. Even 103 wins can't repair the scars of nearly 10 years of playoff disappointments. That job was left, as it traditionally has been at playoff time, to Derek Jeter.
After centerfielder Melky Cabrera reached on an infield single with one out the Yankees' captain stepped into the batters box, already 1-for-1 on the day. Even with the popular Jeter up, the mood at the park was subdued. But with one swing of the bat this would change in an instant. Abandoning his usual inside-out style, Derek crushed a Brian Duensing fastball left out over the plate, depositing the ball deep into the left field seats, and tying the game 2-2. Jeter would finish the day 2-for-2 with two walks, but no hit was bigger in this ball game than his 3rd inning smash.
With two outs in the bottom of the 4th the Yankees' showed off the depth of their lineup when Nick Swisher gave Sabathia a one-run lead with a slashing line-drive single to left that scored Robinson Cano. That would be all the Yankees starter Sabathia would need. And that's where the redemption theme comes in.
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