Homers by Jeter, Swisher give Yankees twin wins

MINNEAPOLIS - The ballpark didn't prove too big for Nick Swisher.

Or for Derek Jeter earlier in the day.

Against Twins closer Jon Rauch, Swisher crushed a 1-and-1 delivery down the rightfield line in the ninth inning last night for a tie-breaking homer that gave the Yankees a 3-2 victory at Target Field, which in its first year is quickly gaining a reputation as being pitcher friendly.

"To be able to get lucky in a position like that, especially off a great closer like Rauch, I could not be more happy," Swisher said.

It was Swisher's eighth homer of the season, a shot that even this ballpark, which has caused some grumbling among Twins hitters all season, couldn't hold.

"It's amazing because there were some balls that were hit during these two games that I thought were homers and they weren't," manager Joe Girardi said. "So this ballpark does play big."

Said Mark Teixeira: "This park's showing to be a pitcher's park so far."

And the Yankees (28-18), in the first two games of this series, while not hitting much, certainly have pitched.

In the first game, which was spread over two days, it was A.J. Burnett (5-2) shutting out the Twins (26-20) over five innings Tuesday before a thunderstorm suspended the game, which was completed Wednesday afternoon.

Derek Jeter's solo shot to left-center off Brian Duensing in the sixth inning was the only run the Yankees needed in their 1-0 victory as David Robertson (12/3 innings) and Joba Chamberlain (11/3 innings) got the ball to Mariano Rivera, who earned his ninth save. Rivera, who saw J.J. Hardy fly deep to left on a ball many, including the closer, thought might leave the park in the first game, pitched a drama-free, 11-pitch ninth in the nightcap to pick up his second save of the day and 10th of the season.

"It's not time to rest," said Rivera, who had been recently sidelined with a stiff left side. "I've had enough."

As for Hardy's ball, Rivera laughed.

"It's great to pitch in a field like that," he said.

In the second game, Andy Pettitte rebounded just fine from his previous start against Tampa Bay, an 8-6 loss, going eight innings and allowing two runs and eight hits. He was as efficient as he's been all season, throwing 94 pitches - 72 strikes - striking out four and walking none.

Pettitte (6-1, 2.62) benefited from three double plays, none more key than the one he induced off the bat of reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer in the eighth, an inning Pettitte somehow escaped from with the score still tied at 2.

No. 9 hitter Drew Butera led off with a drive to center that Brett Gardner had to make a long run to reach. The ball bounced off his glove and Butera went into second with a double. An error followed as Alex Rodriguez mishandled Denard Span's bunt, putting runners on first and third. Orlando Hudson lined back to Pettitte for the first out, but the lefty fell in a 3-and-1 hole to Mauer.

Pettitte, however, induced his third double play of the day, this one 6-4-3, to end the threat and quiet the roaring crowd of 39,353, the largest crowd in the brief history of Target Field.

"It's a tough situation because he's such a great hitter," said Pettitte, who gave a Joba-like fist pump after the double play.

"It was exciting," Pettitte said. "There's no doubt I got a little excited out there."