nhire said. ... Gardenhire won a replay challenge in the third, an

NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka throws a splitter that drops out of sight, ranks among the major league leaders in many prized pitching categories and appears, so far, to be worth every penny the New York Yankees paid to sign him. His place in those pinstripes? Tanaka seems to have a different take than most everyone else. "No, I dont feel that Im the ace," he said Saturday through a translator. Tanaka shut down Joe Mauer and the other Minnesota hitters while lowering his AL-best ERA to 2.06, and Brian McCann lined a go-ahead double in the eighth inning Saturday that sent the New York Yankees over the Twins 3-1. Tanaka (8-1) permitted only an unearned run in eight innings. The heralded rookie from Japan gave up four singles, just two leaving the infield. Tanaka struck out nine, giving him 88 in 78 2-3 innings. The 25-year-old righty is fanning more batters in the big leagues than he did back home before getting a $155 million, seven-year contract from the Yankees. "Its probably the guys here havent seen me," he said. Tanaka walked two and bounced two wild pitches. But he was especially sharp against Mauer, the three-time AL batting champion. Mauer, who faced Tanaka in spring training, struck out on three pitches in the first inning with a runner on third. Mauer fanned on four pitches with runners on second and third in the third, then tapped into a double play and later grounded out. "Guys said the ball was just disappearing," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "His splitter is unbelievable, hes got all the pitches." "And we also saw that hes very competitive. A few times you could see him yelling at himself, hes very competitive," he said. Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira left in the sixth because of soreness in his surgically repaired right wrist, the same problem that forced him to miss three games this week. Manager Joe Girardi said Teixeira was expected to miss two more games. "Our feeling, right now, is that its going to be short term," Girardi said. It was 1-all when Jacoby Ellsbury singled with one out in the Yankees eighth off Brian Duensing (1-2). Ellsbury stole second, and continued to third when catcher Josmil Pintos throw from his knees went into centre field for an error. In light showers, Brian Roberts walked and McCann hit an RBI double over leaping first baseman Chris Parmelee into the right-field corner. Following a 34-minute rain delay, Kelly Johnson drove in a run with an infield single. David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 12th save. Minnesota has lost seven of nine. Yangervis Solarte homered for the Yankees first run. Tanaka and Twins starter Kevin Correia both escaped early trouble, and nobody pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning until the seventh. Brian Dozier grounded the first pitch of the game off Johnsons glove at third base for an error, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Josh Willinghams two-out single. Correia got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first when he struck out Teixeira and got McCann to bounce into a double play. Solarte homered in the fourth, giving the rookie infielder a team-leading 26 RBIs. Solarte singled with two outs and the slow-footed McCann on second in the sixth. McCann was held at third as strong-armed right fielder Oswaldo Arcia fielded the ball and threw home, and Solarte was thrown out trying to take second. Arcia had two assists in Friday nights 6-1 win. NOTES: Twins rookie CF Danny Santana was out of the lineup, a day after he needed seven stitches to close a cut on his left eyelid. He was hurt when his batting helmet flew off during a headfirst slide and bounced up to hit him in the face. "We have to be guarded here," Gardenhire said. ... Gardenhire won a replay challenge in the third, and Eduardo Escobar wound up with an infield hit. ... Former Yankees All-Star Phil Hughes (5-1, 3.23) faces his former team Sunday. Rookie Chase Whitley (0-0, 2.57) starts for New York. ... Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh and Derick Brassard of the New York Rangers were in the crowd, and got big cheers when shown on the videoboard. The Rangers are in the Stanley Cup final. ... The Twins were trying for their fourth straight win at Yankee Stadium, having won their final two games at the park last year and again Friday. The last time Minnesota won four in a row in the Bronx was 1968. Blank USA Jersey . Johnson shared an update after his surgery Tuesday on Twitter. He also wrote, "now lets get on the grind." The running back told The Tennessean he was having surgery in Pensacola, Fla. Adrianna Franch USA Jersey . The Toronto Blue Jays star won his second consecutive Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL on Monday after votes by fans and a panel of Hall of Famers were tallied. http://www.officialsocceruswntshop.com/m...noe-usa-jersey/. Manager Ryan Nelsen has confirmed Brazilian No. 1 Julio Cesar will be rested for Wednesdays first leg of the semifinal. That opens the door for Bendik, who started 33 games for Toronto last season. Crystal Dunn Jersey . Of course that doesnt mean hes ignoring it. Thats actually rather impossible given the behind-the-scenes access to the Toronto Maple Leafs the network is getting. Crystal Dunn USA Jersey . He just didnt expect them to be this good. Darrun Hilliard scored 19 points to lead No. 6 Villanova to a dominating 77-59 victory over Georgetown on Saturday, preserving the Wildcats hopes of a No.Matt Le Tissier has picked his best England XI for Gareth Southgates first game in charge - and thinks captain Wayne Rooney should be dropped for his teenage team-mate Marcus Rashford against Malta. Rooney has started the last three Manchester United games on the bench, with Rashford favoured by Jose Mourinho, and Le Tiss believes the Three Lions will be a more dangerous attacking force by following suit.He does, however, reckon Southgate will keep faith in Englands all-time leading scorer after confirming there will be no change in captaincy during his interim spell. Heres who the former England international would pick for Saturdays World Cup Qualifier and his reasons why... Le Tissier picks his England starting XI to face Malta and plumps for a 4-3-3 formation If were talking about who I think will start then Id expect Rooney to be in the line-up because Southgate has kept him as captain, but Im not sure that if you cant get into your club side then you should be walking into the England team, Soccer Saturday pundit Le Tissier told Sky Sports. Le Tiss Sky Bet tips Find out what Le Tissier is backing at 20/1 with Sky Bet here. Its not often that weve had that much pace in our team, so when youve got it in abundance then use it. I think Rooney, while being very useful on the bench, can slow the play down a bit. Rashford has the world at his feet and the lad clearly has a good head on his shoulders so, after forcing his way into the Manchester United team, the next challenge is establishing himself as an England regular.Le Tiss does not believe Southgate should incorporate both Rooney and Rashford - and thinks the formers trial as a midfielder was a failed one. Uniteds Jesse Lingard feels Rooney still has plenty to offer England Its Rashford over Rooney for me because I dont see Rooney as a midfielder, he added.dddddddddddd Id rather have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in there.He obviously hasnt started Arsenals last few games but its a different situation to Rooney. Rashford should start, according to Le Tissier Hes a lot younger and has had his injury problems, but hes fresher and quicker and against teams like Malta with a packed defence you need that bit of pace to go by players and get into those dangerous positions. Danny Higginbotham tells Sky Sports News HQ Gareth Southgate has a difficult decision to make about the role of the England captain The Southampton legend would like to see Joe Hart retain his place in the XI despite being loaned out to Torino, but prefers Chris Smalling and Ryan Bertrand over Gary Cahill and Danny Rose. Chelseas Gary Cahill does not make Le Tissiers side He added: I think Cahill is a little bit out of sorts at the moment and Stones and Smalling deserve to be starting ahead of him, while I still think Bertrand is a better defender than Rose.Do you agree with Le Tisss England XI for Malta? Leave a comment below if youre reading on skysports.com or tweet us @SkyFootball...Watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Charlies WC Qualifier predictions Lingard backs Rashford to shine Jagielka pulls out of squad Rooney has most impact up front ' ' '