Twins ride 6-run 2nd, Berrios to win vs. Yanks

MINNEAPOLIS -- José Berríos threw 6 2/3 strong innings and Miguel Sanó crushed a three-run homer as part of a six-run second inning to lift the Twins to a 6-1 win over the Yankees on Wednesday, marking their first series victory over New York in Minnesota since 2008. It was also the first series win for the Twins over the Yankees since '14.
Unable to find his curveball or changeup early, Yankees lefty Jordan Montgomery was hit hard, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk over six innings. All six runs came with two outs in the second, keyed by a two-run single from Zack Granite, an RBI single from Eduardo Escobar and Sano's team-leading 23rd blast of the year.
Berrios, who had a 6.63 ERA over his past four starts, bounced back with a solid outing. He gave up one run on six and two walks while striking out five. He improved to 9-3 with a 3.50 ERA.
"A win is a win, but when you can go out there and beat a team like the Yankees, it's awesome," Berrios said through a translator. "I know they've struggled for a few weeks and have gone down in the standings, but with that lineup they have, it's a good victory."

The Yankees scored their lone run against Berrios in the seventh on a two-out RBI single from Brett Gardner after Todd Frazier struck out as a pinch-hitter in his Yankees debut following Tuesday's trade with the White Sox. Reliever Tyler Duffey replaced Berrios and got out of a jam with two runners in scoring position, striking out Jacoby Ellsbury looking.

The Yankees have not won a series since they swept the Orioles from June 9-11, going 0-8-2 in their last 10 series. It marks their longest such drought since 1991, when Stump Merrill was filling out the Yankees' lineup cards.
"I feel like we've played better in the second half than we did in the first half, but we have not hit like we did," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I just feel like we're poised to make a good little run here. I like what our pitchers are doing and the way they're competing, and offensively, we'll get going and we'll put things together."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rock solid: Granite picked up the first two RBIs of his career with his two-run single to open the scoring with two outs in the second. Granite was moved down to ninth in the order after opening his career 2-for-22, but he came through in a big way to help spark the six-run rally. Granite got an 0-1 curveball that caught too much of the zone and hit it back up the middle.

"Sometimes I just stand back and look up and go, 'I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now,'" Granite said. "Growing up from New York, huge Yankee fan, but it was good to go out and beat them today. It's exactly what we needed to do." More >
Berrios escapes jam: The Yankees threatened in the second, loading the bases with two outs after Austin Romine walked. But Berrios got Ronald Torreyes to ground out to second to end the inning and the scoring threat. Berrios went on to retire nine of the next 10 batters he faced.

"Jose had a much better day, but it didn't really start out that way," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "[Pitching coach] Neil [Allen] had a good meeting with the bases loaded, and he was able to get off the field. He seemed to settle in."
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The Twins had never won a series against the Yankees at Target Field before Wednesday.
REPLAY REVIEW
The Twins won a challenge in the first inning, as Gardner was initially ruled safe on a stolen-base attempt at second. But after a review, the call was overturned, and Gardner was out to end the inning.

WHAT'S NEXT
Yankees: The Yanks will head farther west on Thursday, opening a four-game series with the Mariners at Safeco Field. Right-hander Luis Severino (5-4, 3.40 ERA) worked seven innings of one-run ball his last time out against the Red Sox, and he will face off against Félix Hernández in the 10:10 p.m. ET contest.
Twins: After an off-day on Thursday, the Twins turn to right-hander Ervin Santana (11-6, 2.99 ERA) to start the series opener against the Tigers on Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT. It's Santana's second start since allowing one run in one inning in the All-Star Game presented by Mastercard.
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