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. Elvis Grbac Jersey . 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. Nick Murphy Jersey .com) - A pair of Eastern Conference rivals will meet on Saturday as D. Willie Snead IV Jersey . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. "The unions executive committee insists a strike vote does not mean were pushing away from the table," the player said. "But we want the league to know were serious about our position. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom-jordan-richards-jersey-large-1333d.html . The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list.With Yorkshire pursuing a third straight County Championship title, David Lloyd looks at the teams key strengths... Yorkshires success doesnt surprise me one bit.I did the voiceover for the Cricketing Yorkshire show we ran on Sky Sports last summer, and you could see how well run they are - theyre the template of how to run a county. Yorkshire gave Sky Sports exclusive behind-the-scenes access during the 2015 season Keeping GillespieIt was a huge moment for Yorkshire when England decided to give the head coach job to Trevor Bayliss because it meant they got to keep Jason Gillespie as their head coach.While I believe Yorkshire would have found a suitable replacement, Gillespies senior management partnership with Martyn Moxon ensures the club is terrifically well run and his departure would have massively affected the team. Jason Gillespie was rumoured to be the next head coach of England Had Gillespie gone, they would have lost three coaches in a quick space of time, after Paul Farbrace and Richard Dawson left for England and Gloucestershire respectively.Gillespie encourages the players to challenge themselves; he stretches them and makes them take pride in what they do.Investing in youthYorkshire certainly work their academy. They test the youngsters, and dont just put them in for a game before taking them out again. The squad is consistently depleted by international call-ups, but they dont moan about it, they just get on with it.That gives lads like Will Rhodes and Jack Leaning a chance alongside a smattering of high-quality overseas players - they had Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell last season and theyll have Kane Williamson this year. Jack Leaning hit three hundreds for Yorkshire in Championship cricket in 2015 I like the fact that the younger players are given responsibility and told its down to you. Clarence Moore Jersey. Leaning, in particular, produced in 2015, scoring three hundreds and three fifties in first-class cricket.Even someone like 18-year-old Matt Fisher is learning very quickly; he isnt a real fixture in the Championship side yet, but has had to bowl at the death in one-day cricket, in high-pressure situations. Best bowlingYou need a good bowling attack to win the County Championship and Yorkshire have strength in spades in that department.Jack Brooks leads the attack very well, and they have two outstanding senior players in Ryan Sidebottom and Tim Bresnan. Ryan Sidebottom took five wickets, including three in the first over, as Yorkshire secured the County Championship against Middlesex They have come through the system and are Yorkshire through and through, so they are great role models to help guide those younger lads along, and ensure they keep their feet on the ground.Steve Patterson is an unsung player, but equally vital to what they do and they have a quality spinner in Adil Rashid.Theyve also got David Willey coming in, too, but Sidebottom might very well be saying hang on a minute, wait until I have finished! There is real competition for places.Historical hungerThere was the Surrey team of the 1950s that won seven in a row, but Yorkshire have had periods, too, where they have dominated - the Len Hutton era pre-war and then Brian Close and Ray Illingworths time in the 1960s. Len Hutton (L) and Norman Yardley (R) pictured in suits with the white rose of Yorkshire. There is that respect for those that have played previously and a tremendous pride among the players about who they represent.I know for a fact that Yorkshire ensure that their young players coming into the team know the history of the club - theyre now the custodians of the game and, in future years, someone else will come in and take their place.Theyve achieved back-to-back titles now but you can guarantee the club will be saying go out and do it again, lads. Also See: County build-up blog County ins and outs County action for England stars Domestic fixtures ' ' '