Yankees clobber Twins yet again

Luke Voit backed his recent demand for playing time with a homer, four hits and four RBIs, and the surging New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 10-2 Friday night for their season-high eighth straight win.

Voit tied a career high with his third four-hit game. The burst came three days after the 2020 major league home run leader implored manager Aaron Boone to keep him in the lineup, saying he deserved to play just as much as three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo, acquired from the Cubs in July with Voit on the injured list.

Rizzo returned this week after missing 10 days with COVID-19 but got the night off. Voit was getting hot in Rizzo’s absence and continued that — he’s hitting .523 (11 for 21) with three homers and 11 RBIs in his past six games.

Voit hit a two-run bases-loaded single in New York’s four-run first inning off rookie Charlie Barnes (0-3) and got another single in the second. He hit an RBI double in the fourth and homered to right-center to open the seventh.

Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu hit two-run homers as the Yankees won for the 20th time in 25 games since losing three of four in Boston from July 22-25.

Bronx native Andrew Velazquez drove in his fifth run this week with a bases-loaded walk and Brett Gardner hit an RBI single.

Nestor Cortes (2-1) became the rare Yankee pitcher to work with a big lead and allowed two hits and four runs in a career-high seven innings. The crafty left-hander tied a career high with seven strikeouts, walked two and threw a career-high 104 pitches.

Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer and heard boos in each at-bat as Minnesota dropped to 10-27 against the Yankees since the start of the 2015 season.

With an array of leg kicks and deliveries, Cortes got his seventh career win and continued New York’s run of outstanding starting pitching. Cortes’ outing gave the Yankees a 2.93 ERA in their last 40 starts since Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Mets on July 4 and it marked the 30th time in that span a starter allowed two earned runs or less.

Cortes appeared to tire in the sixth when he allowed three straight hits before getting an out. After Donaldson hit his 17th homer, Cortes allowed a single to Mitch Garver on his 83rd pitch. Following a visit with pitching coach Matt Blake, he quickly finished the inning and then breezed through the seventh.

Joely Rodríguez and Brody Koerner pitched a scoreless inning apiece to finish the four-hitter.

The Yankees loaded the bases without getting a hit when Barnes plunked Giancarlo Stanton on the foot and Voit made it 2-0 with a single to left that whizzed past the diving attempt of third baseman Luis Arraez.

After the Yankees took a four-run lead, Judge hit his 27th homer into the right field seats in the second. Voit made it 7-0 when Minnesota center fielder Nick Gordon was unable to make a diving catch at the left-center field warning track and the ball hopped over the fence.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Byron Buxton (fractured left hand) started a rehab assignment in Triple-A St. Paul. … 1B/DH Miguel Sanó was placed on the paternity list. His wife had a baby girl Thursday morning and Sanó will rejoining the team next week in Boston. … RHP Edgar García was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul. … RHP Nick Vincent cleared waivers and was assigned to St. Paul.

Yankees: SS Gleyber Torres (sprained left thumb) started taking dry swings and fielding ground balls. Boone said most of the swelling from Torres’ thumb is out. … RHP Domingo Germán (right shoulder inflammation) experienced soreness Thursday following his bullpen session Wednesday. … Gardner was lifted after getting hit by a pitch in the elbow in the fifth.

UP NEXT

Minnesota RHP Kenta Maeda (6-4, 4.41 ERA) opposes New York RHP Gerrit Cole (11-6, 3.04) Saturday. Cole returned from the COVID-19 injured list Monday and allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels.