Reggie Jackson threw out the first pitch before Game 2 of the AL Division Series between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.
It wasn't a great throw from the 63-year-old Yankees legend - wearing a top hat and a classy looking suit - but perhaps it signaled some kind of turn in the Yankees' best slugger of today.
Alex Rodriguez, who entered the postseason 0 for his last 18 with runners in scoring position in playoff games, suddenly morphed into Mr. October on Friday, hitting a two-run homer off Twins closer Joe Nathan to tie the game in the ninth and paving the way for Mark Teixeira's solo shot to lead off the 11th that gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 is Sunday in Minneapolis.
The Yankees escaped a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the top of the 11th and got out of the inning on a line-out, a fielder's choice and a fly out.
Rodriguez's homer was a towering, no-doubt shot to center field, the kind that Reggie and other Yankees legends used to hit.
"It just felt really good," Rodriguez said to the New York Daily News. "Obviously we needed it, but that's the way we've been playing baseball all year. There's been a lot of magic in the air."
There been some magic near Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., as well, as the Angels had great pitching for the second consecutive night and head to Boston with a 2-0 lead after a 4-1 win. The Angels allowed just one run in two games to the Red Sox's dangerous lineup. They also beat Jon Lester and Josh Beckett, two pitchers with outstanding postseason resumes.
At Fenway Park, the Angels will try to finish on Sunday. It won't be easy - since 2003, the Red Sox are 13-3 in potential elimination games.
The two L.A. teams are 4-0 in the postseason so far. The Dodgers will try to make it 5-0 today (5:07 p.m. CDT) in St. Louis and advance to the NLCS. It's the only game today, as the Phillies and Rockies were snowed out in Denver.
Recaps/schedules in Playoffs Central.
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