Yankees hammer Kenta Maeda as Twins lose series finale
Jose Miranda homered twice and Joey Gallo launched his seventh home run of the season for the Twins but an outburst of 11 runs by the Yankees in the first four innings was too much to overcome and New York left Target Field with an 12-6 victory Wednesday afternoon.
The Yankees jumped Twins starter Kenta Maeda for five runs in the second inning, including a three-run double by Aaron Judge, and then knocked Twins pitchers around for six more runs in the fourth.
Maeda was charged with 10 earned runs on 11 hits in three innings and left the game before recording an out in the fourth inning. The veteran right-hander, who missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, appeared to tweak his back while fielding a bunt in the second inning.
The fourth inning started with Maeda giving up two singles, two doubles and a walk before Maeda was removed from the game with the Twins trailing 9-1. Brent Headrick replaced Maeda and served up a two-run homer to Gleybor Torres for an 11-1 lead.
Miranda hit a solo homer in the second inning and then launched a two-run shot in the fourth. Gallo's two-run homer in the sixth cut New York's lead to 11-5.
In the seventh, Nick Gordon led off with a triple off Domingo German and later scored on a Max Kepler fielder's choice groundout to trim the deficit to five runs, but the Yankees added one more in the eighth before the Yankee bullpen held Minnesota hitless in the final three innings.
Up next: Twins vs. Royals, Friday at 6:40 p.m.
