MLB
Scores/Schedules Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Message board
Weekly lineup

  Wednesday, Apr. 26 1:05pm ET
Pettitte strong in return from DL
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

NEW YORK (AP) -- The listless New York Yankees needed a spark and Derek Jeter delivered.

Jeter hit a sixth-inning homer, Tino Martinez added a solo shot two outs later and four pitchers combined for the shutout as New York beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 Wednesday for only its second victory in six games.

Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte went five innings, throwing 76 pitches, in his first game since coming off the disabled list.

Jeter drove a 2-2 pitch from Joe Mays (0-3) into the right-field seats for his third homer of the season.

"I've been having good at-bats the last few days. You don't necessarily look at the results," Jeter said. "You always think you're going to be successful every time in those situations but it's not going to happen every time."

It was New York's first extra-base hit of the three-game series, a span of 23 innings.

"It was a changeup, a low changeup," said Mays, who shut down the Yankees on two hits over the first five innings, "and I was really impressed by that home run. He really had a good swing at it."

Martinez's homer, also his third, went into the right-field bleachers.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he was pleased with Jeter's hitting approach. "When he's hitting the other way is when he's hitting good," Torre said.

Jeff Nelson (4-0), the second Yankees pitcher, pitched 1 2/3 innings and earned the win in relief of Andy Pettitte, who had been on the disabled list since April 13 with a mild back strain.

Pettitte went five innings in his second start of the season. Nelson took over in the sixth, Mike Stanton followed by retiring all four Twins he faced, and Mariano Rivera earned his seventh save with a one-hit ninth.

"Pitching allowed us to (win)," Torre said. "We were able to play our game today, keep the game close and come out of that bullpen and shut people down."

Pettitte, activated from the DL before the game, allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four.

He retired the first eight Twins before Jason Maxwell singled with two out in the third and Cristian Guzman reached safely on Scott Brosius's fielding error at third. But Pettitte got Denny Hocking to hit into an inning-ending force out.

Minnesota threatened again in the fifth when Pettitte walked Matt LeCroy leading off, and Corey Koskie followed with a single. But Torii Hunter hit into a double play and Maxwell struck out.

Mays gave up 5 hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out three. He held the Yankees hitless into the fourth, when Martinez and Jorge Posada singled with two outs. But Mays got out of the jam by striking out Shane Spencer.

Game notes
Yankees right fielder Paul O'Neill left the game after the second inning with blurred vision in his right eye. "We don't know (what the problem is)," Torre said. "He (O'Neill) said he felt it coming in today, a little double vision. Before the game, he said it cleared up and then it came back on him." ... Matt Lawton extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games with a fourth-inning single. ... Brosius' seventh-inning double was his first hit of the season. The game was his second since coming off the disabled list, where he had been since opening day.

 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Minnesota Clubhouse

NY Yankees Clubhouse


RECAPS
NY Yankees 2
Minnesota 0

Boston 14
Texas 4

Cleveland 5
Seattle 3

Chi. White Sox 11
Baltimore 6

Kansas City 7
Tampa Bay 6

Anaheim 6
Detroit 1

Toronto 4
Oakland 2

San Francisco 8
Florida 7

Atlanta 5
Los Angeles 1

Chicago Cubs 13
Houston 8

Montreal 9
Colorado 2

Arizona 10
Philadelphia 4

Pittsburgh 9
San Diego 8

Cincinnati 12
NY Mets 1

St. Louis 7
Milwaukee 0

AUDIO/VIDEO
audio
 Andy Pettitte says he is pleased with his pitching.(Courtesy:MSG)
wav: 131 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6