Yankees Edge Closer In East, Win Sixth Straight

NEW YORK - Just when you thought it was safe to count out the New York Yankees, you can never count out the New York Yankees.

Start spreading the news in the Bronx, the Yankees are not ready to let go of the stadium, and definitely not on a losing season.  With back-to-back sweeps in the Bronx, the Yankees have now won 10 games in a row at home.

After one mental error after another, the Twins gave the Yankees way too many chances to win especially on a day where Mike Mussina was as dominant as he has ever been.

On what would be an inning ending double play with one out in the bottom of the fifth, Alexi Casilla received a throw from third for a double play. After he touched second he started to trot towards the dugout instead of throwing to first thinking it was the final out.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Glen Perkins displayed his displeasure towards Casilla during the play and the Twins never recovered.  Perkins received his third loss of the season, his second straight loss versus the Yankees, and now moves to 7-3 on the year.

The Yankees capitalized immediately on Casilla's mistake with a two run double by Justin Christian down the left field line which easily knocked in Cano and Molina.

The Yankees added three more runs in the sixth and put the Twins away for good.  Alex Rodriguez flipped his bat and headed towards first on what would be his 22nd home run of the year, but it hit off the top of the wall in left. He settled for a two run double and was then sacrificed home by Richie Sexson.

Mike Mussina is well on his way to his only twenty win season of his career as he was brilliant for the Yankees on Wednesday afternoon.  Mussina is now 13-6 on the year as he went eight strong, without giving up a run.  He struck out seven and walked none and received a huge ovation from the sold out crowd when he walked off in the eighth.

LaTroy Hawkins came in to close it out in the ninth, but the Twins wouldn't let the Yankees end it with a shut out, adding a run on an RBI single by Mike Lamb with two outs.  Enter Sandman, Mariano Rivera came in to face Jason Kubel and struck him out looking for save number 25 on the year.

The Yankees are now 56-45 on the year, 11 games above .500 in a season where most writers and experts had all but buried them in the AL East.

But guess what, they are alive and alive and well.  The Yankees are now just three and a half games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and just two and a half behind rival Boston.

Just when things are starting to heat up, the Yankees are headed to Fenway this weekend, after a day off on Thursday, to face the Red Sox in what is now a very tight AL East race.

On Friday, Joba Chamberlain (2-3, 2.52) will take on Josh Beckett (9-6, 3.97) in what looks to be like a heavy weight fight now after the Yankees strong start out of the gates in the second half.

David Ortiz is expected to make his return to the Red Sox lineup to resume his role as, "The Yankee Killer."

Meanwhile, on the Yankees side, Jorge Posada opted to not have surgery on his shoulder rather to rehab it in hopes to play DH or first later in the year, but his catching days this season are most likely done.