Mark Mulder is ready to step up for the do-or-die Game 5. (Ben Margot/AP)

Mark Mulder, who went 19-7 this season and just missed winning 20 games for the second campaign in a row despite missing a month with a sore forearm, started Game 5 of the 2001 ALDS in New York. He lost that game, going 4 1/3 and allowing seven hits, and four runs, only two earned.

After Oakland's 11-2 loss Saturday in Minneapolis, Mulder sounded eager and thankful for the chance for another shot at a clincher.

"It's going to be a challenge. They played a good game today, they took advantage of our mistakes," said Mulder. "This is my second chance for this -- kind of [a chance] to redeem myself. I didn't give as good of a performance as I would have liked to have last year, and I will get another chance this year, so it's going to be fun."

Mulder added that he believes the logistics surrounding this year's Game 5 will make it easier this time around.

"We got in [to New York] at three in the morning and I pitched that night, so it seemed like everything was such a rush," said Mulder. "This year is different. We are going to get back, with the time change at seven or eight and then it's a day game, I can do normal stuff, get to bed, what I need to, so that makes things a little bit easier."

Mulder was well prepared for his start in Game 2 against the Twins, scattering five hits and one run before being lifted after the sixth inning with a big lead. But he did that going on his usual four-days rest. Sunday, he will need to come back four days after throwing 90 pitches in Game 2.

Not a big deal, according to Mulder.

"I don't have a problem with it," said Mulder of starting on three-days rest. "I don't know how Huddy [Tim Hudson] felt today, but by the time tomorrow rolls around, with the adrenaline that gets going for the playoffs, it's not going to make a bit of difference whether that's two days or three days or four days.

"If you can't get up and feel good for a game like this," Mulder continued, "then there is something wrong."

Manager Art Howe said Mulder will be ready. "He is fine. He threw yesterday, so he is ready to go."

"If he is going out there just pitching the way he normally does," added Howe, "we will go as long as we can with him."

Other than his loss in last season's Game 5, Mulder has pitched well in the playoffs, winning Game 1 in last year's ALDS and Wednesday's game.

He also will hope to continue Minnesota's troubles against left-handers. The Twins are 0-2 in this series against lefties, losing to Mulder and Barry Zito on Friday, and they hit 20 points below average off lefties during the season.

"This is the playoffs, you can take the record -- whatever the record is against lefties -- and throw it out," said Mulder. "Watching the tapes of the hitters, they hit lefties. They might not have won a lot of those games, but there are some good hitters."

Kent Schacht is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.