On Monday night, in his 15^th at bat this season, Winn finally got the attention of Yankee fans. Batting in the ninth hole, Winn came to the plate in the fourth inning with Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner on base. With the count at 1-0, Winn parked the next pitch into the bullpen in right-center for his first Yankee round tripper. The moment was crucial as the three-run homer made the difference in the outcome of the contest. The Yankees won, 4-1. The home run was Winn’s first since April 25, 2009.  Winn e4xpressed his satisfaction with homering, and, more importantly, contributing to the victory of the Yankees, “I’m really, really not a home run hitter. That felt really good. It’s always nice when you can get in there and help your team win. When you’re not playing every day, you have to do what you can.”

The game was only the fourth that Winn has started for New York. He has mainly been used as a defensive replacement in the outfield late in a contest. Winn’s fielding is outstanding. Prior to the start of the 2010 season, Winn had played 209 consecutive errorless games. The change from being an everyday player to a late inning reserve must be difficult for the 35 year-old. In each of his most recent eight seasons, Winn has been in the lineup a minimum of 149 games. After proving his mettle on Monday, Winn may be in the lineup more regularly as Curtis Granderson remains on the disabled list.

It was very obvious the moment King James set foot on the Madison Square Garden for his first and only visit this year, MSG is really where he wants to be. From the very first quarter, LeBron went out of his way have his own victory parade on his own. He started out a first quarter the way Michael Jordan started out his own first in the infamous “Double Nickel” back in 1995.

“LeBron’s first eight minutes were ridiculous,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “A freight train coming at you.”

The Knicks could have had six men on the court and they were not going to stop LeBron’s special night. Normally not a great jump shooter, James was fading away and hitting wet jumpers that would make Larry Bird proud. There was no other way to say it but LeBron was in the “zone”! He would score 19 first quarter points and also contribute six assists.  James capped the quarter by faking out Jared Jeffries at the perimeter and drained a three pointer that everyone in the building knew it was going in.

Could it have been more ironic that LeBron’s favorite baseball, the Yankees, were sitting courtside still feeling the high of their World Series victory. Right after the first quarter ended, the Garden acknowledged the presence of  Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Joba Chamberlain, Melky Cabrera, and Robinson Cano. As they made their way to center court to wave to the adoring New York crowd, who do you think was among the crowd who gave the Yankees a standing ovation?  Of course, none other King Janes who had as a big smile as a little kid at the candy store. He would not have wanted to be any other place in the world than Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

He was swishing jumpers, driving to the basket like a monster, and providing his teammates with the most beautiful no look passes you will ever see. As he sat down for the first half of the second quarter, LeBron was celebrating anytime his team scored a basket. He was dancing to any hip hop song that came on and was seen talking to many friends in the crowd. It’s nice to be the King, ain’t it?

This night was not about the pathetic Knicks who were easily defeated by Cleveland 100-91. It’s about the dream scenario about what would happen if New York ever had the NBA’s best player. As great as Partick Ewing was for his career, he was near at the top as one of the top players in the NBA. LeBron would easily take the cake as the greatest player ever to put on a Knicks uniform.

If that was not enough, LeBron went out of his way to talk to Knicks second year forward, Daniilo Gallinari. Gallinari, who never met James before, has shown flashes of brilliance so far this season that has caught the attention of James. He scored 17 points last night and has made Donnie Walsh look pretty good in making him the 6th pick in the 2008 draft.

“He just told me to keep working hard and keep taking care of my back with stretching,” Gallinari said. “He’s a great guy, great person. We talked before the game and after the game.”

It’s a pretty good indication that New York is in his radar because Danillo could be that guy LeBron needs to win a title in New York . To have never talked to the young Gallinari before last night can only be a good thing for Donnie Walsh.

But first things first, the fans still have 76 more games to go before this looming nightmare Knicks season is over. But the dream is not far from reality!

Lee had the confidence with a good slider, an effective changeup and his usual good fastball and limited the Yankees to six hits, striking out 10 and issuing one walk. In his World Series debut, Lee got his third win in the postseason and lowered his ERA to 0.54, the seventh lowest all-time in postseason play among pitchers with at least 20.0 innings.

More importantly, Lee showed no signs of being nervous and now the Yankees are faced with trying to even the series at home Thursday evening, facing another lefthander, the familiar face of Pedro Martinez. It is the first time this postseason that the Yankees trail in a series.

“Game time is the time go out there and have fun and let your skills take over,” commented Lee who was acquired by the Phillies from Cleveland before the trading deadline on July 29^th. And his acquisition could be a major reason why the Phillies are in position to win consecutive World Series titles.

Sabathia got off to a slow start and got out of a bases loaded situation in the first inning on a misty and cold night in the Bronx. The Yankees, back in the Fall Classic after a six year absence knew they would expect Lee to be on his game. Sabathia also threw two  solo home run balls to Chase Utley who became the second left handed batter in World Series history to hit two home runs off a lefthander pitcher in one game.

“It’s kind of weird,” said Lee about his performance that had the record new Yankee Stadium crowd of 50,207 come to a hush when he constantly retired the powerful bats in the Yankees lineup. “Boils down to confidence and trusting your teammates,” he said.

Lee’s 10 strikeouts were the most by a pitcher in a World Series game since Florida’s Josh Beckett fanned 10 on October 21, 2003 in game 3 when the Yankees opposed Florida. “He kept us off balance,” said Yankee manager Joe Girardi about Lee. “He got us to chase some pitches when we were down in the count, up in the zone. He used his cutter very well. He used his curveball very well.”

The Yankees seemed to be frustrated, though Girardi downplayed that thought. “As far as  being frustrated, our guys will grind it out,” he said. I’m not concerned about that” The only concern may be how the Yankees bounce back Thursday evening when A.J. Burnett takes the mound.  Girardi also said he would also contemplate keeping catcher Jorge Posada in the lineup instead of inserting Joe Molina who usually is in there when Burnett is on the mound.

“He mixes it up,” said the Yankees Derek Jeter about the variety of pitches that Lee throws. Jeter had some success with three hits, including a single in the ninth inning that for a moment had Yankees fans thinking of another ninth inning comeback that was such a trademark of their season.

As for game two being classified as critical for New York Jeter said, “Critical they’re all critical now. As you go further in the postseason the games get tougher, so does the pitching.” And Jeter should know about the importance of winning the first game. He is playing in his seventh World Series all as a Yankee.

“We definitely don’t like this situation,” said Johnny Damon. “We can’t lose three more,” he said about the urgency now for the Yankees to take game two, If the Yankees don’t prevail Thursday evening it makes things that moiré difficult because the Series shifts to Philadelphia for the next three games.

These are the Yankees and everyone expects them to rebound with Burnett on the mound. Not that Sabathia had an off night in losing his first game this postseason, after going 3-0, his first loss as a starter in the World Series.  Of his four hits in seven innings, two were the home runs hit by Utley and he struck out six,

“I was just trying to get my fastball over the plate and missed my location,” said Sabathia about the pitches thrown to Utley in the third and sixth innings, which was enough run support for Lee.  As for any panic after a game one loss Sabathia said, “This is a pretty good team and veteran clubhouse. We know what is at stake.”

Rodriguez had a horrible World Series debut and made no excuses. Lee was that good. “When a guy comes out like that, you tip your hat and go on,” he said about Lee. “He made some pretty good pitches.” Philadelphia got the first draw, their first win over the Yankees in World Series play having been swept by the Bronx Bombers in their previous World Series meeting back in 1950.

And drama in game two with Pedro Martinez on the mound for the Phillies and hearing the taunts of Yankee fans at the new stadium. “It’s all just being fans,” said Martinez Wednesday about his return to the Bronx and pitching again in New York, “I have all the respect in the world for the way they enjoy being fans,” he said.

And for the Yankees they hope they can enjoy some of Pedro’s pitches. If not the Phillies could be that much closer to becoming the first team since the Yankees to repeat as champions.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Alex Rodriguez is having fun again, so is Mark Teixeira who finally got the shaving cream pie to his face from starting pitcher A.J. Burnett moments after his walk-off home run win. The left field umpire blew a call in the 11^th in what was an obvious double by the Twins Joe Mauer that Melky Cabrera dropped on the line, and Yankees pitcher David Robertson got out of a bases loaded jam.

“We’ve had a lot of fun here, a lot of comebacks,” said the Yankee captain Derek Jeter when asked if the new Yankee Stadium has finally become what the old park was. “Seems like we had a lot of great moments here,” he was saying.  It was the Yankees 21^st postseason walk-off win all time and first since October 6 of 2004 in game 2 of the ALDS also against Minnesota.

And it may not be the last magical moment. Because the Yankees are one step closer to reaching another American League Championship Series and they can be home again in the Bronx as soon as next Friday or Saturday, “Hopefully a lot more,” said Jeter after this classic postseason game in the Bronx Friday evening.

Even those two runs in the eighth inning form the Twins did not deter the Yankees from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. And the great Mariano Rivera gave up a run, both charged to Phil Hughes. So the bullpen failed but the one-two punch of Rodriguez and Teixeira are hard for any opposing pitcher to overtake in the postseason.

“We’ve had a lot of fun playing together,” said Teixeira about his batting before Rodriguez. “I’ve played with some great three and four hitters and being a part of some great combos, myself and Chipper Jones, myself and Michael Young in Texas, Vladimir Guerrero last year in Anaheim, And Alex, he’s fun to hit with..”

And fun the Yankees are having, because everything is working right in this season of magic that Jeter describes. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire could not be happier getting out of the Bronx. His team has seen the Yankees come from behind to win all six home games against Minnesota this season.

“I’ve been walked off enough times here,” said a disappointed Gardenhire who saw his starting pitcher Nick Blackburn retire the first 15 Yankees batters. “A lot of things could have went either way,” he said, “but didn’t go our way again tonight. You end up getting walked off again.”

Both games were come from behind wins, a variety that has been seen all season. Because of guys like Rodriguez who is having fun again. The monkey for sure in the postseason is off the back of Rodriguez. The two-run home run in the ninth off Minnesota closer Joe Nathan tied the score 3-3 and the 50,000 plus at the new stadium anticipated more magic.

But before that, it was A-Rod with a game tying single in the sixth inning that made it a 1-1 game. “The fun part is I was just thinking base hit,” said Rodriguez about the home run. He is now 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position in the first two games and a part of this Yankees magic that has continued in the postseason.

“Hit the ball hard somewhere and it went in the seats,” he said about the long drive that ended in the Yankees’ bullpen in left center.  He came out for the ovation and Yankees fans now know that Rodriguez is made for the postseason.  It was his first postseason home run since Game 4 of the 2004 division series against Cleveland.

Certainly another magical win for the Yankees in the postseason, in what has become a magical and special year especially when they play in the Bronx. “”It’s pretty unbelievable feeling as a manger when you get to put those two guys in your line up every day,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi about Teixeira and Rodriguez.

“They’ve been huge for us all year,” he said as the Yankees once again got what they needed when it had to be done/ A huge win for the Yankees who look for the magic to continue out in Minnesota.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

It was he Yankees 21^st win in their last 26 games and they retained their 2-1/2 game lead over second place Boston in the AL East.  Right hander pitcher Joba Chamberlain (6-2) won his third straight decision He went seven innings, allowed two hit and a run. He did not allow a hit to the last 20 batters faced following Ryan Sweeney’s second inning single.

Derek Jeter recorded his team high 19^th game of three or more hits and Melky Cabrera recorded a season high tying three hits for the third time, going 3-for-4. Phil Coke and David Robertson followed Chamberlain.

“He has strikeout stuff and learning as he goes,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Yankees starters have now gone 6-0 with a 2.35 ERA in eight games since the All-Star break and have held their opponents to three earned runs or less in each outing.

Game three of the series is Saturday afternoon in the Bronx at 1:05pm.  Left hander Andy Pettite (8-5) opposes Athletics left hander Gio Gonzalez (1-2).

And this eight-game winning streak is coming with hits and plenty of runs.

Once again the home run bats of the Yankees produced the runs they needed and nine of their hits were three more long balls. The second inning home runs staked the Yankees to a 3-0 lead that helped starting pitcher Phil Hughes at the time who got the win.

The home runs came in three consecutive at bats from Nick Swisher his ninth and first one at home in the new Stadium. Robinson Cano got his 7^th and Melky Cabrera hit one deep to right for his fifth of the season. Swisher hit a fastball, Cano a changeup and Cabrera a curve which made the home run inning that more interesting and all were hit to right field which has become a Yankees home run alley.

“Its baseball and you start to get a good feeling of yourself when you walk in the clubhouse,” commented manager Joe Girardi about the winning streak and attitude of his Yankees. The streak started with a Yankees 8-2 win on their last road trip up in Toronto.

All the home runs came off Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (3-4) who now has given up an American League leading 11 home runs. “We got within good striking distance but the real bugaboo was the big inning that they put up in the end, more so the home runs,” said Orioles manager Dave Trembley.

The Yankees at their new home in the Bronx are coming accustomed to hitting the long ball. The three home runs in an inning was the 11^th time in franchise history that was accomplished and first since June 21 of 2005 vs. Tampa Bay  and the team took over the AL lead in that category with 64.

The combined six home runs hit by the Yankees and Orioles now have provided a total of 71 home runs hit at the new Yankee Stadium in the fist seven weeks of the season.

A six run eighth inning where the Yankees batted around made it easier for Mariano Rivera to register his first save of more than one inning this season, his 8^th. “And for Hughes, who had his best stuff of the season the early run support was a relief.

“When you get run support it’s a lot easier to pitch,” said Hughes who impressed Girardi enough and will make the Yankees warrant some decisions with injured pitcher Chien-Meng Wang due back from injury soon.

Hughes gave way to Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves out of the pen who pitched scoreless ball.  Mariano Rivera recorded a four-out save his 8th of the season and gave up a run to Nolan Reimold, the first of his career.

The Yankees look to sweep the three game series in the Bronx Thursday evening. Joba Chamberlain (2-1) will make the start for New York opposing (2-4) Adam Eaton of the Orioles..