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Streaking Yankees beat up on Twins

Jul 22, 2008 - 3:25 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees spent most of the first half looking for consistency and their attempt at another second-half surge has begun nicely.

Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter each homered as the Yankees extended their home winning streak to a season-high eight games with a 12-4 rout of the Minnesota Twins on Monday.

Sidney Ponson (6-1) picked up his second win since joining the Yankees, allowing three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Yankees improved to 4-0 since ending the first half with a 50-45 record and that has propelled them a season-high nine games over .500 at 54-45. They have also won nine of their last 12 overall since two straight home losses to the Boston Red Sox.

That stretch has helped New York shave 4 1/2 games of their deficit in the American League East since falling a season-high nine games out of first place over two weeks ago.

"We need to win games," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "That's the bottom line because we want to win our division. We're chasing two teams and you try to keep your heat on and your distance, so when you play them it means a lot."

Most of those victories have been tight ballgames. The Yankees have posted five one-run wins, including the last two over Oakland. This one was the complete opposite for most of the night as New York never looked back after a four-run second inning.

"We've been looking to score runs early and hopefully deliver the knockout blow," Rodriguez said. "That's something we haven't been able to do."

"It's nice especially since we need to win every game to get back into the race," added Cano, who is batting .349 (22-for-63) this month.

While the Yankees cruised to a comfortable win, it was another loss at Yankee Stadium for the Twins. Minnesota made two errors in its 17th loss in its last 20 visits and then also had a bizarre sixth inning involving reliever Craig Breslow, who was called for a balk on a pickoff attempt and committed a pair of wild pitches.

Alexei Casilla and rookie Denard Span had three hits apiece for the Twins, who had 10 hits, stranded eight runners and were 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Casilla and Jason Kubel had RBI singles for Minnesota, which lost for just the ninth time in 32 games since June 13.

"We got guys in scoring position," Span said. "They just found a way to get double plays. That's what made it more difficult for us tonight and to top it that, every inning it seemed like they were adding on to the lead and it's tough when the scoreboard is going the opposite way."

Johnny Damon returned from a shoulder injury and drove in two runs. Jeter and Cano also had two RBI apiece while Rodriguez knocked in three as the Yankees collected 16 hits and were 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

"We've had our lineup five times at most but there's still a lot of capable people," Girardi said. "Everyone needs to contribute. Everyone needs to help out. It can't be the same guys every night. You know that that's not going to happen and everyone contributed tonight."

Jose Molina also had three hits just hours after catcher Jorge Posada was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder injury.

"It's definitely great when we can go out and score some runs," Damon said. "It seems like Cano's just swinging a great bat. We know what Jeter, Bobby (Abreu) and A-Rod can do, so it was just a great win."

Two of Rodriguez's RBI were a blast to left-center field that landed in the Yankees' bullpen. It was Rodriguez's 21st home run of the season and 539th career.

After the Twins tied it on Casilla's RBI single, the Yankees had five hits and chased Minnesota rookie starter Nick Blackburn (7-6) to his earliest exit of the season.

With one out, Melky Cabrera, Molina and rookie Brett Gardner singled to load the bases. In his first action since crashing into the left field wall on July 4, Damon hit a grounder to second baseman Casilla, who attempted to throw Cabrera out at the plate but his throw short-hopped catcher Joe Mauer for an error.

Jeter followed with an RBI single and Bobby Abreu had an RBI groundout for a 6-2 lead.

The Yankees added two more in the third as Cano homered into the upper deck in right field off reliever Boof Bonser and Damon had an RBI ground-rule double. They reached double digits in runs for the first time since July 2 with a three-run sixth as Jeter hit a solo home run into the right-center field bleachers, Abreu scored on a wild pitch and Cano lined an RBI single.

Blackburn dropped his second straight start, allowing six runs - three earned - and seven hits over 1 2/3 innings. It was the quickest exit by a Twins starter since Francisco Liriano recorded just two outs at Oakland on April 24.