Yankees Continue Winning, Squash Twins

Coming off a weekend sweep of Oakland, the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 12-4 on Monday night.

Sidney Ponson started for the Yankees. He went 5.2 innings, gave up three runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out two.

Nick Blackburn started for the Twins, and was rocked right away. New York forced him to an early exit as he lasted only 1.2 innings, gave up six runs (only three of them earned) on seven hits, walked none and struck out one.

The Bronx Bombers got started in the bottom of the first. With Bobby Abreu on base, Alex Rodriguez left the yard for a two-run home run, the 539th of his career, and 21st on the season.

Minnesota answered the Yanks' two runs in the top of the second inning, getting an RBI from a fielder's choice off the bat of Carlos Gomez to score Delmon Young. On the next play, Alexi Casilla hit an RBI single to score Brendan Harris, tying the game at two.

The Yankees took the lead again and broke open the game in the bottom of the second inning. The Yankees scored four times, getting RBI from Derek Jeter, Abreu, and Rodriguez. A throwing error by Casilla also allowed Melky Cabrera to score.

With the Yanks leading 6-2 in the bottom of the third, Robinson Cano, who has been on fire lately, murdered a solo home run off Minnesota reliever Boof Bonser into the upper deck in right field. It was Cano's eighth big fly of the season, and it gave the Bombers a 7-2 edge.

After Cano's homer, Johnny Damon hit a ground rule double to score Cabrera, giving the Yankees an 8-2 lead after three innings.

In the top of the fifth, the Twins would get a run back on an RBI single by Jason Kubel to score Casilla.

The Yankees would get that run back in the top of the sixth with a lead-off homer into the bleachers from Derek Jeter, his sixth moon shot of the year.

With Jason Giambi batting later in the inning, Abreu would score on a wild pitch by Craig Breslow. Cano also drove in Rodriguez with an RBI single in the inning, and the Yankees led 11-3 at the end of six innings of play.

The Yankees tacked on one more run in the bottom of the eighth. Cano grounded into a double play, but pinch-runner Justin Christian scored, making the score 12-3.

The Twins were able to get one more run in the top of the ninth with Denard Span scoring on a groundout by Casilla. But it was too little too late as the Yankees went on to win.

Ponson captured the win and is now 6-1 on the season.

Blackburn takes the loss and falls to 7-6 overall.

On a couple of sidenotes, The Yankees' everyday catcher Jorge Posada may be lost for the season as he was placed on the disabled list before the game today with a bad shoulder.

Also, Damon returned from the DL to the Yankees' lineup tonight and went 1-4 with an RBI and a double.

Tomorrow night at 7:05 ET, the Yankees and Twins meet in game two of the three-game series.

Darrell Rasner of the Yanks (5-7, 4.97 ERA) will take on Kevin Slowey of Minnesota (6-6, 4.26 ERA).