Gary
Sanchez hit a three-run homer with none out in the bottom of the ninth
inning off Fernando Rodney as the New York Yankees extended their
winning streak with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday
afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
Sanchez got New York’s winning streak up to six by lifting an 0-1 96 mph fastball into the left-field seats off Rodney (1-2).
Upon
rounding the bases, Sanchez flung his helmet as he approached the
celebration at the plate where he was mobbed by teammates. He was then
doused with Gatorade by Domingo German while getting ready to conduct a
postgame interview.
It was the catcher’s sixth homer of the season
and first walk-off homer and hit. It was New York’s first walk-off homer
since Brett Gardner on July 27, 2017 versus Tampa Bay.
Before
Sanchez won it, Rodney was betrayed by some shaky defence from third
baseman Miguel Sano. Sano committed a throwing error on a ball hit by
Didi Gregorius and then cut in front of shortstop Ehire Adrianza on a
grounder by Giancarlo Stanton. Sanchez’s homer capped a day when the
Yankees were held without a hit until Gardner singled with two outs in
the sixth off Kyle Gibson.
Gibson recorded his first career
double-digit strikeout game with 10 and held the Yankees to one hit in
six innings. The Twins finished their first 0-7 road trip since Aug.
10-16, 2001. Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer off Jordan Montgomery
and Robbie Grossman homered off German for the Twins.
Including the
wild-card game, Minnesota has dropped its last eight games to the
Yankees. Minnesota lost the Yankees for the 12th time in the last 13
regular-season visits to New York.
Montgomery allowed two runs and four hits in five innings while running up his pitch count.
Dellin
Betances (1-1) struck out the side in the ninth for New York. Aaron
Hicks drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly for the Yankees.
New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez hits a three run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports