After dropping the last two in a series against the Texas Rangers and then getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees were desperate to get back in the win column. On Monday Robinson Cano led a strong effort as the Yankees won in Minnesota 10-4.
Cano hit two home runs and scored four times to lead the Yankees’ offense. Zoilo Almonte added three hits and two RBI’s to the effort. The Yankees exploded for three runs in the eight and four in the ninth to erase a 4-3 deficit.
Andy Pettitte struggled in the first inning, giving up three runs, but was able to put together five innings before leaving down a run. Pettitte made some Yankees history as he passed Whitey Ford for first all time in strikeouts as a Yankee with his second strikeout of the game.
The Yankees play 11 of their next 14 games against AL Central teams that are under .500. They have this four game set in Minnesota before series against the Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and another set against the Twins. This leads right up into the All Star break where the Yankees are expecting to get several players back to bolster their lineup.
The Yankees are currently six games behind Boston for first place in the East and will need to cut a few games off that lead before the break. Even just being under five games back will give the Yankees a great shot at making a late run for the playoffs.