Cap saves pitcher from serious facial injuries

Rodriguez extended his major-league record for grand slams, hitting the 25th of his career into the Yankees bullpen off J.R. Graham (0-1) to put New York up, 5-4.

The Yankees pieced together a pitching performance that was more than good enough with the offense they received Tuesday night in a win over the Twins.

He also started and finished a double play that helped Sabathia get through the sixth inning, and he singled to start the cushion-building three-run eighth. “It would have been a tough one to lose”.

“Luckily, what could’ve happened didn’t”, McCann said.

“He’s got a little black and blue under his eyes”, Girardi said. “It got him but it could have got him a lot worse”. Sabathia was cruising throughout the first half of the game, as he surrendered his first hit in the fifth inning. Mitchell was on the ground for over a minute but was able to walk off the field escorted by members of the Yankees training staff. Nunez said he had never hit a comebacker that resulted in such an injury. “I have to make that play”.

“I certainly felt great”, said A-Rod, who acknowledged the charged-up crowd with a curtain call. “I didn’t work out that way”. Shortly after, Bryan Mitchell was sent to the New York Presbyterian Hospital for a further evaluation. The Yankees starter immediately collapsed to the ground in pain. They were of the opinion that the player should be monitored for concussion symptoms.

If you haven’t already, spend some time imagining an outfield alignment of Rosario in left, Byron Buxton in center and Aaron Hicks in right. You won’t see him tomorrow. “I think he’s doing well, all things considered”. And when A-Rod came to the plate with the bases loaded, fans in the Bronx hoped for something, anything, to get the team going.

Closer Andrew Miller (1-2) struck out two in the 10th for his first victory with the Yankees.

Santana, suspended days before the season opener after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, showed a glimpse of what Minnesota was expecting with 15 2-3 scoreless innings in back-to-back wins last month.

Adam Warren: A puzzling move Joe Girardi made wasn’t bringing in Adam Warren during the seventh inning. Joe Mauer leads Minny with 115 hits and 51 RBI while Brian Dozier and Trevor Plouffe have combined for 126 RBI.

Stephen Piscotty sparked the go-ahead rally, hitting a one-out triple off reliever Hunter Strickland with a tied ballgame in the bottom of the eighth. However, he appeared to fatigue in the seventh, as he gave up a two run home run, making the score 3-1 Twins. The Twins scored three times off Caleb Cotham to take a short-lived 4-3 lead with one out in the third.