Rodriguez Has His October Moment

His Homer Ties It, Teixeira's Blast Wins It for Yanks: Yankees 4, Twins 3

NEW YORK, Oct. 9 -- The debate ended. There is no more For and Against, no more credence to the argument that Alex Rodriguez shrivels when October arrives. Rodriguez resolved everything on Friday, because with one swing and one home run, every pinstripe-loving fan aligned on the same side of the argument, which basically means the argument is over. This weekend New York will only have radio silence, dead talk show call-in lines and abundant appreciation for A-Rod, conqueror of the clutch, master of the big moment.

It's pointless now, dwelling on that stretch when Rodriguez went hitless in 29 consecutive postseason at-bats with runners on, or noting how between 2005 and 2007 Rodriguez had a .159 October batting average. The new Rodriguez, who looks a lot like the regular season Rodriguez, is the central figure on a New York Yankees team that battles back, savors the drama, performs best under pressure and even pulls out a little magic.

The classic Bronx argument is gone, and only a classic game remains to mark the spot where it disappeared. This was delirious and wild -- a 4-3, 11-inning New York victory against the Twins, where the best players had the biggest homers in the most critical moments, and where 50,006 fans witnessed a dramatic step toward a series victory. The Yankees earned this 2-0 edge in the AL division series against Minnesota with a riveting performance.

Rodriguez belted a two-run, game-tying homer in the ninth against closer Joe Nathan. Reliever Dave Robertson saved his team from a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the top of the 11th with a liner-grounder-flyout combo. And finally, to cap it off, No. 3 hitter Mark Teixeira roped a walk-off, line-drive homer just over the left field fence in the bottom of the 11th. Rodriguez, on deck at the time, joined the mob at home plate.

"You can enjoy it for a couple hours, but if you don't take care of business it kind of loses its magic," Teixeira said.

When the Yankees and Twins resume this series on Sunday, they'll be at the Metrodome, where New York can clinch the series and eulogize Minnesota's stadium all at once. For the longest time on Friday, however, it seemed like the Yankees would be splitting town with a tie.

Though Robertson saved the Yankees in the 11th , the reliever wasn't the only source of help that inning. Leading off the inning against Damaso Marte, Minnesota's Joe Mauer sliced a line drive down the left field line that nicked off Melky Cabrera's glove, landed fair by at least several inches, and popped into the stands for a would-be ground-rule double. One problem: Umpire Phil Cuzzi called it foul -- a decision that crew chief Tim Tschida said was incorrect.

"Afterwards, like any close play, we went in and we looked at it and it's a clear indication that an incorrect decision was rendered," Tschida said.

Mauer eventually singled, but the mistake was a contributing factor to an inning where Minnesota had much to regret. The Twins noted that Mauer should have been on second, not first, when Jason Kubel singled in the next at bat.

Asked how Cuzzi's call changed the inning, manager Ron Gardenhire said, "Next guy got a single. You can figure that out, I think."

Facing Nick Blackburn, New York didn't get a hit until the bottom of the fifth. When an erratic A.J. Burnett finally cracked and allowed a run in the top of the sixth, Rodriguez responded a half-inning later, drilling a game-tying RBI single to left.

By the time he came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, the stakes were much larger. The Yanks trailed 3-1. Minnesota's Nathan had already allowed a leadoff single to Teixeira. When Nathan fell behind Rodriguez 3-0, then 3-1, those at Yankee Stadium reached a fever pitch, as loud as a crowd can get with anticipation.