Twins overcome jitters and Athletics in series opener

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Minnesota Twins shook off a serious case of the playoff jitters in plenty of time.

A.J. Pierzynski had four hits, and Corey Koskie homered and drove in three runs as the Twins overcame an early deficit and fielding blunders to beat the Oakland Athletics 7-5 Tuesday in the first game of the AL division series.

In their first postseason appearance since winning the World Series in 1991, Minnesota made three errors in the first two innings while falling behind 5-1 to the A's, who tied the Yankees for the major league lead with 103 victories in the regular season.

The Twins were the best defensive team in the majors this season, making just 74 errors. They made three in the first two innings against Oakland -- and that doesn't count a pop fly that dropped in the infield while four Twins stood watching.

But the Twins, who defied baseball's conventional wisdom about small-market teams to win the AL Central, steadily rallied back with offense from nearly every player and more of the steady bullpen work that's been one of their strongest assets. Eight Twins got a hit.

Eric Chavez drove in two runs for the A's, who didn't get the standout pitching that's been their trademark in three straight playoff campaigns.

Tim Hudson, the longest-tenured member of Oakland's Big Three starters, never got comfortable in 5 1-3 shaky innings.

Doug Mientkiewicz also homered for the Twins, who took the lead with a three-run sixth inning. Koskie put Minnesota up 6-5 with a bases-loaded groundout against Ted Lilly (0-1), who relieved Hudson moments earlier.

Both starters had trouble on a gorgeous day at the Coliseum. Brad Radke (1-0), who stopped Oakland's AL-record 20-game winning streak last month with a six-hit shutout in Minneapolis, allowed eight hits and five runs -- although just one was earned -- in five innings.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series is today, with Mark Mulder pitching for Oakland against Joe Mays.

Yankees 8, Angels 5

NEW YORK -- Bernie Williams and the New York Yankees had a little leftover late-inning magic.

Jason Giambi hit a tying single with two outs in the eighth inning and Williams followed with a three-run homer, providing another stunning Yankee Stadium comeback as New York beat the Anaheim Angels 8-5 Tuesday night in Game 1 of the AL division series.

Showing the same flair for the dramatic that fueled last year's postseason run to Game 7 of the World Series, the Yankees rallied to win in the eighth inning to spoil the Angels' first postseason game in 16 years.

-- From wire reports