The first-place Minnesota Twins hit three home runs, including a three-run shot by Gary Sanchez in the second inning, to rout the host Cleveland Guardians 11-1 on Monday night.

The Twins now have a three-game lead over second-place Cleveland in the American League Central.

Sanchez went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. The catcher’s three-run bomb in the second, his ninth homer on the season, traveled an estimated 430 feet and kickstarted Minnesota’s runaway victory.

The long ball continues to plague Guardians starter Triston McKenzie (4-6), who has surrendered 15 homers in his past eight starts and 16 on the season.

Nick Gordon went deep against McKenzie in the sixth inning with Sanchez aboard for a 7-0 lead. It was Gordon’s third homer of the season.

McKenzie struggled through six innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

The long-ball trend continued when the Guardians went to the bullpen. Reliever Bryan Shaw gave up Carlos Correa’s two-run blast in the seventh, the shortstop’s eighth on the year. That extended the Twins’ lead to 9-0.

Minnesota veteran Sonny Gray (4-1) stymied the Guardians in his seven-inning stint, which matched his season high. He allowed three hits, no runs and one walk. The right-hander struck out three batters. The walk he allowed was his first in his past four starts.

Cleveland lost its fifth game in a row.

Manager Terry Francona didn’t want to waste any more arms in the blowout, sending in infielder Ernie Clement to pitch the ninth. He allowed four hits and two runs in his major league pitching debut.

The Guardians averted a shutout when Myles Straw scored on a wild pitch by Jharel Cotton in the ninth.

Monday’s contest was the first of a rare five-game series, with a doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday.

–Field Level Media