MINNEAPOLIS - Roger Clemens sure looked like a pitcher with more big games in him.

Knowing this could be the final start of his storied career, Clemens made Hideki Matsui's early home run stand up and led the New York Yankees over Minnesota 3-1 Saturday for a 2-1 lead in their AL playoff series.

Clemens quieted the Twins and their Metrodome crowd, cruising through seven innings. Mariano Rivera then took over for his second two-inning save of the series.

Nobody expected the Rocket to be rattled, not even in the noisy dome - where the Twins are still 13-4 all-time in the playoffs and where opponents often struggle with the dingy roof and the bouncy turf.

Clemens gave up five hits, a run and a walk for the victory. He struck out six.

Rivera finished with perfect relief. The Twins managed only four hits in Game 2 against Andy Pettitte and Rivera.

The crowd of 55,915 was roaring from the start, moved by third-base coach Al Newman's ceremonial first pitch to manager Ron Gardenhire. Newman suffered a hemorrhage in his brain Sept. 10 in Chicago and spent more than two weeks in the hospital.

Kyle Lohse had a hopping fastball to match the early clamor in his first career postseason start for the Twins. His first of five strikeout victims, Derek Jeter, fanned in the first inning on a neck-high 96 mph pitch.

Matsui, however, was ready.

With Bernie Williams on base after a leadoff double, the Japanese League star used an uppercut swing to send a first-pitch fastball into the upper deck for a 2-0 lead.

The Yankees scored their third run in the third with three singles, the last by Williams that drove in rookie Juan Rivera.