By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
Right hander Jose Berrios waked only one batter in his previous four starts with the Minnesota Twins and Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium he got on the mound having not allowed a run in 14 straight innings. That was all before facing a Yankees lineup that slugged four home runs the night before.
Berrios went with his game plan. And that did not work. The Yankees had another four home run night in a 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins, their fourth consecutive win.
It would not have mattered what Berrios delivered from the mound. The Yankees, as expected they would be, continued to use that power. They did it well with another four home run night including the ninth career multi HR game from Gary Sanchez. Berrios also gave up a solo home run to Didi Gregorius who continued his torrid start as the MLB leading RBI leader with 27.
Gregorius hit his eighth home run, and all of them at home in the Bronx. Aaron Judge went 3-for-5, including his seventh home run and CC Sabathia with a season high 6.0 Innings shut down the Twins with a good slider, curve, and changeup and got his first win in his fifth start.
That’s four straight wins for the Yankees and outscoring opponents 36-6, and during this 18 consecutive game string against top teams in the American League.
“We had a game plan,” Berrios said through an interpreter. “They executed better. Part of the game.” Berrios had a difficult time explaining the Yankees domination over the Twins in the Bronx, now losers of five straight including the Al wild card game eliminator this past October.
Sanchez with the multi-HR game, a solo in the second and two-run shot to Monument Park in center, are the most by any player in baseball history through 196 career games.
“It’s a lot of fun when everything is clicking,” Sanchez said through an interpreter. “Right now we just want to stay consistent doing that and win some more games.” The Yankees are a season high four games over .500 and realize this is what they are capable of doing.
Scoring a lot of runs and of course hitting a record number of home runs is expected, and as April nearly concludes they lead the AL in runs scored and hitting the ball out of the yard. And top prospect Gleyber Torres, after getting his first Major League hit the night before, knocked in his first career RBI with a fourth inning single.
Yes, it’s all coming together and Wednesday night this four-game series continues with the Twins. And by the looks of things and based on how this lineup is producing, it could be another home run night.
Lance Lynn, 1-1, the right hander will have his first career start at Yankee Stadium. He looks to get the Twins back on the winning track, a team that realizes they are better than what has showed up in the Bronx these past two games.
“He can do it for us,” Berrios said. “We will turn it around soon.” But the Yankees are in this contagious and consistent mood right now and doing it with that power and pitching, all good enough to keep winning.
And, yes this is late April.
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