By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Yankees fans whose stomachs were in knots over the bad walk-up to the American League Division playoffs, had an even worse time of it Wednesday night when the Bronx Bombers found themselves down by three heading into the sixth inning.
But the Yanks somehow found their bats, thanks in large part to Mark Teixeira who had been struggling because of a damaged thumb, and took the first game in the best-of-five series, topping the Twins 6-4 in Minnesota.
The first baseman kicked off a four-run sixth inning with a double, eventually scoring on a Robinson Cano RBI. With two outs, Jorge Posada drove in Alex Rodriguez before Curtis Granderson drove in a two-run homer to put the Yankees up by a run.
“The switch kind of turns on when the postseason rolls around over here,” Nick Swisher told reporters.
Ace C.C. Sabathia almost gave it back, walking in a run in the top of the seventh to tie the game at four.
But Teixeira struck gold again, hitting what would be the game-winning two-run homer off of Jesse Crain.
“Game-winning home runs, there's nothing better,” the first baseman told reporters after the game.
The Yankees and Twins return to the field Thursday night.
