NEW YORK -- A funny thing happened on Chad Green's walk to the Yankee Stadium pitching mound Tuesday night. All of those nerves he had been experiencing a few days ahead of his first career playoff game suddenly subsided.

And there's a reason for that, Green said. When the bullpen phone began to ring in the first inning of Wednesday's AL Wild Card Game against the Minnesota Twins, it was unexpectedly early. But Luis Severino had runners on second and third with only one out and had already put the team in a three-run hole. Manager Joe Girardi didn't want to risk it.

Green threw a few warmup pitches, a lot less than he usually would, and Girardi came out to the mound to signal for the right-hander. It was go time for Green and he didn't really have a chance to remember that he was nervous.

"I kind of got ready pretty quick and the next thing you know, I was in the game," Green said, after the Yankees' eliminated the Twins with an 8-4 win. "That situation worked out for us, but if they happen to put a big rally up right there I think it changes the whole momentum.

It was a big moment for 26-year-old. A bloop single would have allowed another run and then who knows what would have happened. But he struck out Byron Buxton and Robbie Grossman the end the threat and give the Yankees a chance to climb back into the game.

"Our bullpen is amazing," outfielder Aaron Hicks said. "Guys are coming in and we're just comfortable with them coming in. It doesn't matter who, we're excited because we just know they're going to shut it down."

Sitting in the dugout in the bottom of the first, the nerves and adrenaline began to creep in. The sense of urgency was suddenly heightened and Green knew he'd have to get them deep.

But when Didi Gregorius cracked a game-tying, three-run homer off Ervin Santana, Green was locked in, knowing what he needed to do and how to calm himself down.

"Didi hitting that big three-run homer for us in the first really slowed the game down for us," Green said. "I was able to slow the game down and take deep breaths. I didn't have much to go off of, but we played some big games this year against Boston and stuff like that. But for me, it was just trying to slow the game down and take it one pitch at a time."

Green then mowed down the Twins in the second inning. He wavered in the first, givingup a run and Girardi didn't hesitate to replace him. But he made it through two innings and got the Yankees to a point where they could more easily manage the workload for the relievers.

Green saved the Yankees on Tuesday, but maybe it was Gregorius that saved him.

Abbey Mastracco may be reached at amastracco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @abbeymastracco. Find NJ.com on Facebook.