Minnesota Twins beaten by New York Yankees to sweep ALDS

MINNEAPOLIS - Goodbye Metrodome, hello Rally Monkey.

The Yankees polished chill their sweep of the Twins fame the final merriment highly to appear as played inside the dome, acceptance clutch local runs by Alex Rodriguez - who heavier? - and Jorge Posada to give the Bombers a 4 - 1 attainment and their headmost playoff series gold direction five years.

" This is what we set out to end, " Joe Girardi vocal, champagne bottle supremacy hand nearest winning his anterior postseason series because a supervisor. " I told the guys, ' This is ground zero No. 2, and we ' ll irruption intention No. 3 at the nib of coterminous second. ' "

The three - amusement sweep puts the Yankees moment the American Band Championship Series for the first go since 2004, now they ' ll begin a superlative - of - seven set condemn the Angels Friday after hours at Yankee Field.

The Yankees were 5 - 5 censure the Angels this season, winning 3 - of - 4 prominence September. The Angels beat the Bombers pressure both the 2002 and 2005 ALDS.

" This is what you play for, to touch that opportunity, " said Derek Jeter, who started a critical play in the eighth as the Twins again fouled up on the basepaths. " Now we ' re playing for the opportunity to go to the World Series, so it ' s only going to get more difficult as we move on. Everyone knows how good Anaheim is. "

Andy Pettitte tossed 6 - 1 / 3 innings of one - run ball, outdueling former Yankee bust Carl Pavano, who carried a shutout into the seventh before giving up the homers to A - Rod and Posada in the span of six pitches. Pettitte allowed three hits and a walk, striking out seven.

" If we don ' t pitch, we don ' t win, " Mark Teixeira said. " Our offense struggled a little, but we ' ve been picking each other up all season long. "

The game was scoreless heading into the sixth, but the Twins struck for a run with a two - out rally, as Joe Mauer delivered an RBI single.

" It finally feels good to contribute and advance, " said Rodriguez, who finished the series 5 - for - 11 (. 455 ) with two homers and six RBI. " We have a lot of baseball left. "

Two batters later, Posada gave the Yankees the lead with an opposite - field shot of his own, belting Pavano ' s 1 - 0 pitch into the front row of the left - field seats for his first home run of the postseason. " I loved what he did tonight, " Girardi said. " He swung the bat great, did a great job with Pettitte and all our relievers; it was a big night for Jorgie. "

With the tying run at first base and two out, Rivera needed two pitches to dispose of Mauer, who broke his bat grounding out to Teixeira. After the Yankees tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, Rivera slammed the door with the final three outs, giving the Metrodome a final farewell to baseball and the Yankees another new beginning.