MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees can advance to the American League Championship Series for the fifth time in six years on Sunday when they meet the Minnesota Twins in Game Four of an AL Division Series.
New York took a two games to one lead in the best-of-five series thanks to another spectacular effort by a starting pitcher with Saturday's 3-1 triumph. Roger Clemens, making possibly the final start of his career, allowed just one run and five hits in seven innings to lead the way.
"I knew he'd be on," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. "He was excited to be up there today and he gave us some real strong innings."
Posada has been behind the plate for some great outings in this series for the Yankees, whose starters have combined for a 2.14 ERA.
New York will send David Wells (NR) to the mound, trying to continue that trend. Wells owns an 8-2 career postseason record, but was tagged for eight runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings in Game Four of an ALDS loss at Anaheim last year.
The portly lefthander went 15-7 with a 4.14 ERA this season for New York, including a 7-2 road mark. Wells won a pair of complete games with a 0.50 ERA against the Twins in 2003 and owns a 7-3 career record at the Metrodome. He is 18-6 with a 2.26 ERA lifetime against the Twins.
"I've had good success against this team," Wells said. "I want to be in this situation. I'm not afraid to fail. And the thing is, you know, when you get to the post-season, you get hyped up a little bit more. This is what it's all about, getting to this point in the season and going out there."
New York has won eight straight games at the Metrodome, where Minnesota has lost three of its last five postseason games.
Rookie Hideki Matsui's two-run homer in the second inning accounted for all the offense New York needed. No. 9 hitter Juan Rivera added three hits and Bernie Williams reached base four times and drove in a pair of runs.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter extended his postseason hitting streak to eight games with a single in the third inning. Jeter has four hits in 10 at-bats through the first three games.
Closer Mariano Rivera worked his second straight two-inning save and has retired all 12 batters he has faced. Rivera threw 17 of 19 pitches for strikes on Saturday.
Minnesota is hoping to rally in this series in the same fashion it did last year against Oakland in an ALDS. The Twins won the opener last year, lost the next two before capturing the final two games.
"Last year, we were handed this same situation with Oakland," Twins center fielder Torii Hunter said. "We know that as long as there's time left, we have a chance."
The Twins will turn to their Game One starter, Johan Santana (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Santana pitched four scoreless innings in the opener before leaving with leg cramps, but Minnesota insists he is healthy for Sunday's start.
"That thing is tough, you never know when it's going to happen, so you have to be careful with it," Santana said.
The Venezuelan lefthander has won his last eight decisions. Santana went 5-2 with a 4.07 ERA at home this year.
The Twins are hitting just .179 (17-for-95) in the first three games. Minnesota is 25-30 against lefthanded starters, including the loss in Game Two against Andy Pettitte.
"Now we have to go out tomorrow and hold them to zero runs," Minnesota catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "We have to find a way to win. Hopefully we can win two more and break a lot of hearts."
