Mark Teixeira homers in the 11th to give the New York Yankees a 4-3 win over
Next up was Rodriguez, who slammed a Craig Breslow slider well over the left-field fence in the 11th inning of the following day's game, leading the Yankees to a 6-4 win on May 16.
"He's one of the few guys who have the ability to do this fairly often," manager Joe Girardi said that day of Rodriguez, who homered off Nathan in the ninth inning on Friday to make Teixeira's walk-off shot possible. "Not everybody can hit a ball 500 feet, but he has the ability at any time."
Perhaps feeling left out, Damon continued the walk-off trend the following day, launching yet another homer to give the Yankees a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Twins on May 17.
Those three hits marked the first time the Yankees had walked off in three straight games since doing so Aug. 27-29, 1972.
"With the way we've been doing things this year with all the walk-off hits, it's almost like you expect it," said reliever Phil Hughes, who would have been Friday's losing pitcher if not for his team's comeback effort. "We're spoiled."
The Yankees finished the regular season with 15 walk-off victories, their highest total since they set a franchise record with 17 back in 1943. And it has not grown old.
The Yankees also finished the regular season 7-0 against the Twins, thanks in large part to those walk-offs. Now, with two games of the Division Series complete, they have extended that mark to 9-0.
Burnett will not be bringing his stock of whipped cream with him to the Metrodome, where the Twins will have last licks and the Yanks cannot walk off. But his teammates will be bringing with them all the buoyancy of this latest walk-off win, which they hope will translate into one more victory in Minnesota.
"Obviously," Burnett said, "the walk-off definitely keeps our spirits way high."
Friday, October 9, 2009
Mark Teixeira and Joe Duffy Come Through in MLB Playoffs
Posted by Current News on 11:07 PM
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