MINNEAPOLIS -- Nestor Cortes was perfect through three innings Wednesday night in Minnesota, looking every bit as strong as his impressive start to the 2022 season.

Then, leading off the bottom of the fourth, Twins star Byron Buxton singled to end a nine-pitch at-bat for the first baserunner against Cortes, the Yankees' starter who entered the day with the lowest ERA (1.50) in MLB.

A few misplays by Giancarlo Stanton in right field extended innings for Cortes, and for the second straight night Minnesota made it tough on New York’s starting pitching in the Yankees’ 8-1 loss at Target Field that halted their winning streak at seven games.

“I felt pretty good in the first three innings,” Cortes said. “I was commanding all my pitches, throwing them to the right areas. There were a few that got away from me in the fourth and fifth inning I wish I could get back, but they’re a good hitting team and they made me battle all night.”

In the series opener Tuesday, New York starter Jameson Taillon had is shortest outing of the year, tossing four-plus innings while allowing season highs with nine hits and four runs. But the Yankees picked up their starter with a big offensive night.

The offense managed just four hits on Wednesday.

Cortes lasted just 4 1/3 innings, his night ending when Buxton hit a homer to the bullpens in center field. Cortes allowed a season-high four runs, ending his streak of 19 straight outings of allowing three runs or fewer.

The seven hits he allowed Wednesday were one shy of his season high. Ryan Jeffers also homered in the fifth off Cortes, who entered the game with just four home runs surrendered in 60 innings pitched.

“They made him throw some pitches, but he was dictating counts, getting ahead,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought he was really sharp, and then Buxton put together a long at-bat against him in that fourth to start out that inning, gets the base hit in the hole. … I don’t think he was not sharp that inning, but it was a long inning. They got some breaks there.”

Carlos Correa, in his first game back from the COVID-19 injured list, followed Buxton’s single in the fourth by dropping a single in front of Stanton, who was back in the outfield for the first time since returning from the injured list with an ankle injury.

Stanton later misread a fly ball to the wall off the bat of former Yankee Gio Urshela, plating Buxton. Stanton also had two questionable plays in the sixth.

Another ball hit by Urshela wasn’t caught and hit the wall for a double. On the next play, a blooper fell into short right field near the foul line between Stanton and first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

“If you don’t have the best defensive plays and you make an inning a little longer for him, then sometimes that happens,” Stanton said of Cortes’ rare off night.

Cortes' stretch of starts allowing three earned runs or fewer was the second-longest streak in franchise history. Only Russ Ford had a longer streak with 20 starts spanning the end of the 1910 and start of the 1911 seasons.

“At the end of the day, it’s my 11th start of the season,” Cortes said. “Obviously there’s going to be ups and downs. It’s just whether you come back the next time and weather the storm.”

Stanton took responsibility for his misplays. He said the overhang in right field at Target Field wasn’t an issue and that he was “a little off in my depth perception.”

“I’ve got to make those plays, put us in a better position to not let the game break away,” Stanton said.

It was Stanton's 20th game in the outfield this season, and Boone had stated before the game that he feels comfortable with Stanton in the outfield and that the former MVP could see time in left field, as well.

“I was definitely pissed off today,” Stanton said. “I haven’t had a day like that in a long time, if ever.”