'Freak injury' puts Gardner on disabled list

Brett Gardner knew something was amiss. When he attempted to warm up minutes before the first pitch of Wednesday night's game against the Twins, he simply wasn't feeling like himself.

"I went to get loose," Gardner said Thursday, "and I really couldn't even swing."

Gardner, placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, said he had an MRI that revealed some inflammation and a strained muscle in his right elbow. The injury occurred when he bent his elbow in an awkward way while making a diving catch Tuesday night, and he aggravated it while taking batting practice Wednesday.

"I can't really describe it," Gardner said. "It's kind of one of those things where it's a freak injury. Besides a bone bruise, there's a muscle strain. So the only thing I can do for it is rest."

Gardner said he hopes to start swinging a bat within eight to 10 days but wasn't sure if he'll come off the disabled list once he's eligible.

"This is something that I don't want to keep dealing with all year long,'' he said.

Jeter ties WinfieldWith his second-inning RBI single, Derek Jeter tied former Yankee Dave Winfield for 18th on baseball's all-time career hits list with 3,110.

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"I always enjoy watching Derek Jeter play because he is a model of consistency both in the field and at the plate," Winfield said in a statement. "I finished my career with 3,110 hits and I have only admiration and respect for Derek. I hope he pauses for just a moment to admire the view with me and then keeps on going. This is just one more achievement in an incredible career."

For the second straight night, the Yankees gave up four runs in the top of the first and scored three in the bottom. Jeter's single tied it at 4.