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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Despite all the trade rumors, the New York
Yankees might be good enough as they stand.
One day before the trading deadline, the Yankees beat the
Minnesota Twins 7-4 Sunday. The AL East leaders returned home after
a 5-2 road trip.
|  | | The Yankees' bullpen was good enough to preserve Andy Pettitte's 11th win. He allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. |
"I think certain guys whose names may be mentioned will feel
good when tomorrow's over with," manager Joe Torre said.
"I feel a lot better about our club, we seem to be playing with
a lot more certainty," said Torre.
Tino Martinez, who has been mentioned in trade talks, hit a key
three-run double in the first inning to get the Yankees going
early.
Martinez also lined out hard to center field his second time up,
and made a nifty scoop on Clay Bellinger's low throw in the second
inning to nip Jay Canizaro.
"Defensively, he's been great, he comes up with clutch hits, he
drives in runs," said Paul O'Neill, who also drove in three runs
for New York. "He's done it in the past, he's going to do it
again."
The Yankees bullpen rebounded after blowing leads in two
straight games. Mike Stanton got out of a bases-loaded jam in the
seventh, preserving the lead to help the Yankees salvage a split of
the four-game series.
Andy Pettitte (11-6) allowed three runs -- two earned -- and seven
hits in 6 2/3 innings. He left with runners on first and third and
two outs in the seventh.
Jeff Nelson walked Ron Coomer -- the third straight game he has
walked the only batter he faced -- to load the bases. Stanton ended
the threat by getting David Ortiz to line out to left field.
Stanton pitched a hitless eighth, and Mariano Rivera allowed one
run in the ninth to finish it.
The Yankees took a 4-0 lead in the first inning off Joe Mays
(6-12). Chuck Knoblauch walked and went to third on a single by
Derek Jeter. A groundout by O'Neill scored the first run.
After a single by Bernie Williams and a walk to David Justice,
Martinez hit a drive that just missed clearing the right-field wall
for a grand slam and ended up as a three-run double.
"I threw a good pitch to Tino, and it's not called a strike,"
Mays said. "I throw the next pitch a little better, and he's not
going to miss it."
O'Neill added RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings.
Knoblauch reached base four times and scored twice.
Mays had won his last two starts before being pulled after just
three innings. He gave up four runs and five hits. Mays walked two
and struck out two in his shortest outing since going three innings
in a loss to Cleveland on July 2.
Chad Moeller, Torii Hunter and Canizaro each drove in a run for
the Twins.
Game notes
O'Neill may have set himself up for someone's blooper reel
when his attempt to throw back to the infield after a sixth-inning
single by Ortiz slipped out of his hand and rolled behind him.
"Definitely not one of my finer moments," said O'Neill, who added
he thought about kicking the ball, which is one of his low-lights
that has been rerun on dozens of highlight programs. ... Torre said
Knoblauch may be ready to return to the field at second base.
Knoblauch was DH for two games at Minnesota and is scheduled for
more treatment on his sore right elbow during Monday's off-day. ...
Moeller had two doubles and a single to tie his career high for
hits in a game.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
Rich get richer? MSG hopes to stop Yankees' megadeal
Back to basics for Cone in Florida sabbatical
RECAPS
Baltimore 10
Cleveland 7
Tampa Bay 7
Kansas City 6
NY Yankees 7
Minnesota 4
Oakland 5
Boston 2
Seattle 10
Toronto 6
Chi. White Sox 11
Anaheim 7
Detroit 8
Texas 7
Atlanta 6
Houston 3
Cincinnati 7
Montreal 4
Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles 2
San Diego 9
Pittsburgh 8
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 2
Milwaukee 3
Colorado 2
Chicago Cubs 3
San Francisco 1
Florida 4
Arizona 3
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