Twins break Yankees' spell in Game 1

NEW YORK -- Instead of getting tight when Johan Santana cramped up, the Minnesota Twins stayed loose.

Playing a postseason game in Yankee Stadium for the first time, the Twins were guarding a one-run lead in the fourth inning when their pitcher suddenly couldn't go to the mound for the bottom half.

"One thing you don't do is show panic in the dugout," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "So I just said, 'Well, let's have some fun. We are going to piece it together.' And that's what we did."

Those pesky Twins put the big, bad Yankees in another postseason funk.

Torii Hunter circled the bases when his line drive resulted in a pair of misplays that led to two sixth-inning runs, and the Twins finally beat New York, tripping up the stumbling Yankees 3-1 in Tuesday's AL playoff opener.

New York had rolled over the Twins during the past two seasons, going 13-0 and outscoring them 90-36. But it's the little guys who take a 1-0 lead into Game 2 Thursday night, when Brad Radke pitches against Andy Pettitte.

"It's been a running joke the last couple of days-- we might just as well scrimmage these guys and get them warmed up for the next round, because that's where everybody's putting them," Minnesota's Jacque Jones said.

The Yankees have dropped four straight postseason games for the first time since the 1981.

After Santana's injury, Rick Reed, J.C. Romero, LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado combined to allow five hits and one run.

New York's batters went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, getting an RBI infield single from Soriano in the ninth.

"When the game gets sloppy and the ball gets thrown around, that makes it tough," said Mike Mussina, who had been 20-2 against the Twins.