Twins Take 1-0 Lead on Jorge Polanco Homer: Live Updates

The Yankees’ quest to reach their first World Series in 10 years gets underway tonight in the Bronx, where they face the powerful Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the American League division series. Follow here for live updates and analysis.

Top of the 2nd: LeMahieu Error Goes Unpunished

James Paxton pitched around a bad error by D.J. LeMahieu, who dropped an easy pop up at first base that allowed C.J. Cron to reach base safely and put two runners on base with only one out. Call it the first indication of nerves, but Paxton took care of it by inducing a ground ball to the left side of the infield, and Gio Urshela made a nice scoop to initiate the double play. Marwin Gonzalez hit a one-out double in the inning.

Bottom of the 1st: Replay Review Denies Tying Run

Remember how the Yankees’ postseason ended last year, with an agonizingly close play at first base (you may recall Steve Pearce’s crazy stretch). Well, in a similar play, Giancarlo Stanton was thrown out at first for the final out of the inning after a great bare-handed pickup and throw by Twins third baseman Miguel Sano. Stanton, who hit a weak ground ball, was originally ruled safe, which would have scored the run from third base in Aaron Judge. But after a review, it was shown that the throw beat Stanton by a hair and Berrios got out of the inning unscathed, despite giving up a walk to Judge and a double to Edwin Encarnacion, who seems to be healthy. Encarnacion ripped a shot into the left field corner. This game seems tense already.

Top of the 1st: Jorge Polanco Leads Off With Homer

Polanco silenced the Yankee Stadium crowd with bases-empty home run to left field. What else would you expect from the two teams who hit the most home runs this year. Polanco slugged a 98 mile-per-hour fastball, down and in from lefty James Paxton, several rows into the seats. It was Polanco’s first home run in 24 at-bats at Yankee Stadium. Paxton also walked Nelson Cruz, but he struck out Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano to end the inning, and give Yankee fans a chance to cheer. Now it’s the Yankees turn to show some power against Jose Berrios. No one expects this game to remain at 1-0.

• Back in July, the Yankees and the Twins played what might have been the best game of the year: A 10-inning, back-and-forth slugfest that ended with Aaron Hicks’s spectacular diving catch in center field.

• Both managers skillfully navigated their seasons. Aaron Boone kept his team focused and coherent despite a staggering number of injuries, and he gets credit for giving the sluggers their “Savages” nickname during a rant aimed at the home plate umpire Brennan Miller in July. Rocco Baldelli of the Twins also did an excellent job in his first managerial stint. Since taking over for Paul Molitor before this season, Baldelli led the Twins to only their second 100-win season, finishing one shy of the club record of 102.

• As is so often the case in the postseason, relief pitching could prove critical, and both teams have above-average bullpens. The Yankees’ relievers allowed an average of 4.56 runs per game and the Twins were at 4.65, both better than the league average of 4.83. The hard-throwing lefty Aroldis Chapman led the Yankees with 37 saves (and five blown saves), while the Twins were anchored by their own lefty, Taylor Rogers, who had 30 saves (and six blown saves).

• Cool stat: The Yankees had the third-best home record in baseball at 57-24. But the Twins had the best road record at 55-26.

Check back here before first pitch for live coverage and commentary before and during Game 1.