Big Game Andy

photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports

Andy Pettitte has had a lot of big game starts in his career. More often than not, he's come out on top. You wouldn't think a late May game would qualify in the big game category, but that was the case tonight when Pettitte took the mound and the win in the Yankees 3-2 triumph over the Minnesota Twins.

With a slumping offense and a shortened bullpen, Joe Girardi needed Pettitte to come through with a huge game and that's just what he did. Eight innings, two earned runs and a 3-2 victory.

Pettitte threw 94 pitches and was warming up to start the 9th, but it was merely a ploy to give Mariano Rivera additional time to get ready.

Rivera, who struggled through a save in the conclusion of game one, breezed through the 9th to give Pettitte his sixth win of the season against just a single defeat. In picking up career win no. 235, Pettitte didn't walk a batter and struck out four. He's now in sole possession of 61st place on the all-time wins list and is 3rd on the Yankees' franchise list with 198 victories).

The win, which gave the Yankees two on the day after a victory in the completion of Tuesday night's suspended game, came in the 9th when Nick Swisher drove a Jon Rauch delivery over the fence in right field for a solo home run.

Notes

The Yankees gained 1 1/2 games on the Rays, who lost for the second straight night to the resurgent Red Sox.

Kevin Russo once again came through with a clutch hit when he doubled in the Yankees first run of the game. Brett Gardner later added an RBI triple.