Yankees blast Twins, J.A. Happ dominates | Rapid reaction

The Yankees beat the Twins, 7-2, behind a marvelous performance from J.A. Happ, a solo home run from Gary Sanchez and a seventh-inning explosion.

MINNEAPOLIS —  One went over the fence. Another went a little farther. With each swing, Aaron Judge came closer to crushing a ball into Lake Superior.

It was a sight the Yankees hadn’t seen in more than a month: Their star slugger taking on-field batting practice, seemingly unbothered by his still-fractured right wrist.

With any luck for the Yankees, they’ll have Judge back next week in time for potentially crucial home series with the Red Sox.

They didn’t need him Monday.

A Gary Sanchez bomb and a late offensive breakthrough backed a sterling J.A. Happ in a 7-2 win over the Twins at Target Field.

Judge, who hasn’t played since July 26, watched from the dugout as a 1-0 lead turned into a five-run advantage, the Yankees pummeling Minnesota’s bullpen — and finally taking advantage with runners in scoring position, a problem for them lately. They finished 5-for-17 with RISP.

What it means

The Yankees have won three of their last four games. They have won six of their last 10 games.

They picked up a half-game — increasing their lead to three games — on the A’s for the top American League Wild Card spot. Oakland was off.

Boom

Sanchez’s home run, his 16th on the season, came with two outs in the sixth inning and it snapped the scoreless tie.

It traveled an estimated 460 feet and left at 110.6 mph, according to MLB’s Statcast. Sanchez became one of four players with two home runs of 460 feet or longer, researcher Katie Sharp said.

It was Sanchez’s second homer since June 20. He also went deep in a loss to the A’s on Tuesday.

Running away with it

The Yankees went nine hitters before finally recording an out in the seventh. They also had three straight doubles and saw three different Twins pitchers.

Miguel Andujar’s two-run double off the top of the wall in right-center field sparked the scoring and gave the Yankeesa 3-0 advantage. It came after consecutive walks to start the inning to Andrew McCutchen and Aaron Hicks.

Then Giancarlo Stanton doubled over the center fielder’s head to score a run and and Didi Gregorius doubled to right field for another. Minnesota right fielder Robbie Grossman really misplayed it into a double, diving forward for the ball, missing it and having it roll behind him.

Then Sanchez poked an RBI single to short right field and Greg Bird walked, setting up Gleyber Torres to load the bases with his own single.

McCutchen finished the rally with a sacrifice fly to just before the center field warning track, giving the Yankees a 7-zip lead. 

Happ for that

While it appears the Yankees have already lined Luis Severino up to start the Oct. 3 Wild Card, Happ continued his compelling case to get the job.

Happ threw six scoreless innings, finishing at 92 pitches. He might have been able to go another inning if the Yankees had spent more than a half-hour drubbing the Twins in the seventh.

He three struck out three, walked none and surrendered six hits. Minnesota reached second base on him in the second inning and in the fifth, but that’s as far as they got.

Happ improved to 6-0 with a 2.70 ERA in eight starts since joining the Yankees in a trade from the Blue Jays before the July 31 deadline.

Luis Cessa gave up a pair of meaningless runs in the eighth.

Next

Yankees righty Sonny Gray (10-8, 4.96 ERA) vs. Twins starting pitcher to be named at 8:10 p.m. EST Tuesday at Target Field.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.