Final
Kubel powers Twins past Yankees
Aug 21, 2011 - 3:21 AMVideo
Ben Revere and Justin Morneau each posted two RBI, while Trevor Plouffe and Joe Mauer added a pair of hits and scored twice for the Twins, who had dropped the first two games in the set. Danny Valencia added a solo homer and walked twice.
Francisco Liriano (9-9) worked seven innings for the win, scattering three hits and three walks with an unearned run while fanning six.
"He pitched good, really good. When he gets those first pitch strikes and gets ahead, he's one of the best and tonight was an example of that," Valencia said of Liriano. "It was just an overall great job by him tonight."
Francisco Cervelli and Curtis Granderson drove in a run apiece for the Yankees, who lost for the third time in their last 10 and maintained a half- game lead over Boston in the AL East. The Red Sox lost at Kansas City.
A.J. Burnett (9-10) didn't make it out of the second inning, tagged in defeat for five hits and seven runs with three walks.
"We need him to pitch like he's capable of pitching. That's the bottom line. He's got struggles. His last two starts were nothing but. We've gotta get him back on track," said Yanks manager Joe Girardi of his embattled starter. "I don't lose confidence in players."
Valencia began the explosive frame with a solo homer to give the Twins a 3-0 edge, and after a one-out double from Luke Hughes and a groundout, Revere knocked him in with a single up the middle. Revere swiped second, Plouffe walked and both moved up on a wild pitch then Mauer walked to load the bases.
That was it for Burnett, who departed with what appeared to be some choice words for Girardi.
"Angry? Of course. Nobody's gonna be happy about coming out of the game," said Burnett, who revealed his verbal explosion came as a result of the last pitch to Mauer. "Oh no, what came out was about that strike, I wasn't talking to Joe."
Luis Ayala came on but walked Morneau to force in another run and also served up a two-run single to Kubel for a 7-0 game.
The Yanks scratched out a run in the third when Eduardo Nunez doubled with one out and scored thanks to Hughes' throwing error on a Brett Gardner infield hit.
Minnesota extended its lead to 9-1 in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to Hughes and a Revere RBI single.
New York answered with two in the eighth on a Granderson groundout and a run-scoring single from Cervelli. Andruw Jones' blast to left in the ninth capped the scoring.
Minnesota tallied twice in the opening frame. With runners on second and third following doubles by Plouffe and Mauer, a Burnett wild pitch brought in one run and a Morneau sacrifice fly plated the other.
Game Notes
The Twins topped the Yankees at home for the first time since May 27, 2010...This was Burnett's shortest outing of the year, and shortest since June 30, 2004, when he worked one inning in a no-decision with Florida against Atlanta...Despite the setback, the Yankees have won nine of their last 13 road games...Aaron Laffey made his Yanks debut, allowing five hits and two runs with two walks and two strikeouts over three relief frames...Umpire Brian O'Nora did not officiate due to an unknown medical matter.
- NEW YORK: 4
MINNESOTA: 9
Final
Aug 20 10:27 PM - Russell Martin grounded out second to first. None on with two outs and Eduardo Nunez due up.
Yankees 4, Twins 9 Top 9, 2 OutsAug 20 10:26 PM - Francisco Cervelli singled to right scoring Jorge Posada with two out. Runner on first and Eric Chavez due up.
Yankees 3, Twins 9 Top 8, 2 OutsAug 20 10:02 PM - Curtis Granderson grounded out second to first scoring Brett Gardner with two out. On the play, Jorge Posada advances to third. Runner on third with two outs and Eric Chavez due up.
Yankees 2, Twins 9 Top 8, 2 OutsAug 20 9:58 PM - Ben Revere singled to center scoring Danny Valencia with one out. On the play, Luke Hughes advances to second and Rene Tosoni advances to third. Bases loaded and Trevor Plouffe due up.
Yankees 1, Twins 9 Bot 5, 1 OutAug 20 9:14 PM - Luke Hughes walked scoring Jason Kubel with none out. Bases loaded and Matt Tolbert due up.
Yankees 1, Twins 8 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 20 9:09 PM - Brett Gardner reached first on an infield single to second. On the play, Luke Hughes's throwing error scored Eduardo Nunez with one out. Gardner advanced to second. Runner on second and Derek Jeter due up.
Yankees 1, Twins 7 Top 3, 1 OutAug 20 8:18 PM - Jason Kubel singled to right scoring Trevor Plouffe and Joe Mauer with two out. On the play, Justin Morneau advances to second. Runners on first and second and Danny Valencia due up.
Yankees 0, Twins 7 Bot 2, 2 OutsAug 20 8:08 PM - Justin Morneau walked scoring Ben Revere with two out. Bases loaded and Jason Kubel due up.
Yankees 0, Twins 5 Bot 2, 2 OutsAug 20 8:06 PM - Ben Revere singled to center scoring Luke Hughes with two out. Runner on first and Trevor Plouffe due up.
Yankees 0, Twins 4 Bot 2, 2 OutsAug 20 7:50 PM - Danny Valencia lead-off Home Run (13) to center. Rene Tosoni due up.
Yankees 0, Twins 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsAug 20 7:40 PM - Justin Morneau sacrifice fly to left scored Joe Mauer with two out. None on and Jason Kubel due up.
Yankees 0, Twins 2 Bot 1, 2 OutsAug 20 7:28 PM - A.J. Burnett's wild pitch scored Trevor Plouffe with one out. On the play, Joe Mauer advances to third. Runner on third and Justin Morneau at the plate.
Yankees 0, Twins 1 Bot 1, 1 OutAug 20 7:27 PM - NEW YORK: 0
MINNESOTA: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 20 7:10 PM
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