Yankees defeat Twins 8-1 as Fried delivers strong start
New York beat Minnesota 8-1, with Cody Bellinger and Spencer Jones each hitting home runs and Max Fried pitching seven effective innings.
The New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Tuesday at Target Field, extending their winning streak and moving six games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the top AL wild-card spot. Cody Bellinger opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning, and Spencer Jones added a three-run blast in the sixth, while Max Fried worked seven innings, allowing one run on six hits and striking out six. Fried, returning from a second stint on the injured list, said, "It definitely was nice to be able to put what felt like a full start together," and noted he is focusing on sharpening his pitches ahead of an upcoming series against Tampa Bay. Every member of the Yankees’ starting lineup recorded at least one hit, and Heliot Ramos contributed an RBI double that helped build a 4-1 lead. The victory kept the Yankees three and a half games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, with 11 games remaining in the season. The Rays continued to win, highlighted by a walk-off home run from Junior Caminero, maintaining pressure on New York’s division chase.