THE LONG LOSING STREAK
On Oct. 5, 2004, the Twins and Johan Santana beat the Yankees 2-0 in the first game of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium. The next day, the Twins started a Major League Baseball record 16-game postseason losing streak.
2004 ALDS vs. Yankees
7-6 (12), Yankee Stadium: In Game 2 the Twins tied it in the eighth with two runs off Mariano Rivera, took a 6-5 lead in the 12th on Torii Hunter's home run and were poised to take a 2-0 series lead. But Hideki Matsui's two-run single in the bottom of the inning won it for the Yankees.
8-4, Metrodome: Derek Jeter had three hits and drove in three runs for New York.
6-5 (11), Metrodome: The Twins coughed up a 5-1 lead and lost in the 11th when Alex Rodriguez doubled, stole third and scored on a wild pitch by Kyle Lohse.
2006 ALDS vs. Athletics
3-2, Metrodome: Barry Zito outdueled Cy Young winner Johan Santana in a painful home loss.
5-2, Metrodome: So much for home-field advantage. Mark Kotsay's two-run, inside-the-park homer in the seventh lifted Oakland.
8-3, Alameda County Stadium: Oakland got four in the first three innings in Twins pitcher Brad Radke's final big-league game.
2009 ALDS vs. Yankees
7-2, Yankee Stadium: Jeter and Matsui homered off Francisco Liriano.
4-3 (11), Yankee Stadium: Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score, and Mark Teixeira won it with a walkoff homer in the 11th.
4-1, Metrodome: Rodriguez and Jorge Posada homered in the seventh, and Rivera closed the game and the series.
2010 ALDS vs. Yankees
6-4, Yankee Stadium: The Twins couldn't get a clutch hit in the late innings, and Teixeira's seventh-inning homer was the deciding blow.
5-2, Yankee Stadium: The final nine Twins hitters were retired in order.
6-1, Target Field: Yankees starter Phil Hughes, a future Twin, gave up four hits in seven innings as New York completed the sweep. The Twins didn't return to the playoffs for eight years.
2018 WILD CARD vs. Yankees
8-4, Yankee Stadium: Twins scored three in the first and ... so did the Yankees. Using their top two starters, Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios, didn't work for the Twins.
2019 ALDS vs. Yankees
10-4, Yankee Stadium: Twins relievers found postseason at Yankee Stadium too daunting.
8-2, Yankee Stadium: Didi Gregorius hit a grand slam in the third to start the rout.
5-1, Target Field: The Bomba Squad fizzled out.
