Trent Grisham made a rare start and drove in three runs as the host New York Yankees extended their winning streak to a season-best eight games by beating the Minnesota Twins 8-5 on Thursday.
The Yankees swept the three-game set to complete a season sweep of the Twins for the first time since 2009. However, New York lifted Juan Soto due to left forearm discomfort following a 56-minute rain delay between the fifth and sixth innings.
Manager Aaron Boone later said the arm had been “bothering (Soto) for the last week.” Soto is scheduled to get an MRI on Friday.
Grisham made his 15th start of the season and delivered one of his best performances since joining the Yankees from the San Diego Padres as part of the Soto trade in December. Grisham hit a two-run homer in the second inning to snap an 0-for-20 slump and lifted a sacrifice fly in the fifth for New York’s final run.
Gleyber Torres hit a tiebreaking two-run double off Minnesota starter Pablo Lopez (5-6) in New York’s three-run third. The rally began when Lopez loaded the bases by walking Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Following Torres’ hit, Austin Wells’ increased the lead to 5-2 with a sacrifice fly.
Stanton added an RBI single to score Judge in the fourth. Stanton’s hit occurred after Anthony Volpe stole third and scored on a throwing error by Minnesota catcher Christian Vazquez.
Carlos Correa homered in the first off New York’s Marcus Stroman, and Vazquez hit a tying homer in the third.
Correa also had a sacrifice fly while Max Kepler had an RBI double and Carlos Santana produced an RBI single to get the Twins within 7-5 in the fifth.
Stroman allowed five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two in a 78-pitch outing.
Lopez was tagged for seven runs on four hits in four innings. The right-hander also issued a career-worst six walks and struck out four.
Stroman was lifted after plunking Jose Miranda in the back with a pitch. Ian Hamilton got the final out of the fifth after allowing Santana’s run-scoring single, and the game was delayed after the Yankees batted in the fifth.
Luke Weaver (4-1) got four outs and was awarded the win by the official scorer. Clay Holmes pitched a scoreless ninth inning and notched his 18th save.
–Field Level Media