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The Yankees defeated the Twins 8-1 Tuesday at Target Field, improving to 88-63 and remaining 3.5 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East. Max Fried allowed one run over seven innings for his first win since April 27, while Cody Bellinger hit a two-run homer and Spencer Jones launched a three-run shot. New York collected 14 hits, and Ryan Yarbrough covered the final two innings.
Fried allowed one run on six hits over seven innings, walked none and struck out six on 88 pitches. He earned his first win since April 27.
Cody Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and Spencer Jones hit a three-run homer in the sixth. Bellinger finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
New York improved to 88-63 and stayed 3.5 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Yankees had already secured at least a Wild Card spot.
The Yankees already punched their ticket to October. Tuesday night, they played like a team that still has bigger business to handle.
Max Fried gave New York 7 strong innings, Cody Bellinger started the night with a 2-run homer, Spencer Jones blew the game open with a 3-run shot, and the Yankees rolled past the Minnesota Twins 8-1 at Target Field.
New York improved to 88-63 and stayed 3.5 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East.
And maybe the biggest development of the night wasn’t even the 8 runs.
It was Fried looking like Fried again.
Max Fried Finally Gets His Win
Fried entered Tuesday without a victory since April 27. That drought is finally over.
The left-hander allowed just 1 run on 6 hits across 7 innings, didn’t walk anybody and struck out 6 while needing only 88 pitches.
That’s efficiency.
Minnesota’s only run came in the 2nd inning when Emmanuel Rodriguez singled home Royce Lewis. Outside of that, Fried controlled the game and never gave the Twins a real opening.
He even finished his night by working around a leadoff triple from Kody Clemens in the 7th. Fried got Lewis on a flyout, then struck out Brooks Lee and Victor Caratini to leave Clemens standing at third.
That’s the version of Fried the Yankees need in October.
The Yankees added another run in the 3rd when Heliot Ramos walked, Luis García Jr. singled and George Lombard Jr. brought Ramos home with a 2-out single to right.
And this is where the game went from comfortable to over.
Rice reached on a Minnesota error, Bellinger walked and Ramos ripped an RBI double to left to make it 4-1.
After García reached on a fielder’s choice, Jones stepped in with 2 outs and crushed a 3-run homer to center field off Taylor Rogers.
7-1 Yankees.
Jones’ homer was his 10th of the season, officially giving New York 11 different players with at least 10 home runs.
But forget the team total for a second.
Jones continues showing why the Yankees have been willing to put him in meaningful situations heading toward October. The power is real, and when he gets a pitch he can handle, the baseball leaves in a hurry.
Yankees Finish the Job
Ryan Yarbrough replaced Fried in the 8th and handled the final 2 innings without allowing a run.
The Yankees added one more in the 9th when Lombard walked and José Caballero singled him home for the final 8-1 margin.
New York finished with 14 hits. Ramos had 2 hits and scored twice, Lombard had 2 hits, an RBI and a walk, and Anthony Volpe went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and stolen base.
Judge never had to leave the bench.
That’s a pretty good night.
The Yankees have already secured at least a Wild Card spot, but the division race isn’t dead yet. Tampa Bay still has the advantage, and time is running out, so games like this can’t be treated like September exhibitions.
Win the games you’re supposed to win.
Get your rotation lined up.
Get your bats right.
And if Fried is starting to look like this again with October around the corner, the Yankees just added another serious weapon to the postseason conversation.
Born in Manhattan, New York, Felix Pantaleon is a Dominican-American digital content creator and the founder of NYYNEWS, one of the first and longest-running independent New York Yankees content creator platforms, active since 2005.
