Torres’ 3-run homer defeats Tampa Bay

steal third with one out in the seventh. Hicks hit an opposite-field homer to right in the fifth.

Aaron Judge singled and Sanchez drew a two-out walk before Torres drove a 96-mph full-count fastball to left for his 13th homer since being called up from the minors on April 22.

This was the first one that didn’t come from the No. 9 hole — Torres batted fifth as the Yankees started nine right-handed hitters against Snell.

The rookie has five three-run homers already, most among big-league hitters. Torres also went deep in Wednesday night’s loss to Washington.

New York, with the best record in the majors at 44-20, hasn’t lost consecutive games since May 22-23 at Texas.

Making a strong bid for his first All-Star selection, Snell struck out eight and threw 105 pitches in five innings. He was 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA in his previous four starts.

The Rays’ Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) will start tonight against his former team, his fourth outing since coming back from a second Tommy John surgery.

Eovaldi pitched for the Yankees from 2015-16, going 14-3 in 2015, and has never faced New York.

“I wish I would have been able to finish on a healthy note. Other than that, I really enjoyed my time there,” said the righthander, who visited with Yankees players during batting practice and said he still keeps in close contact with New York relievers Chasen Shreve and Betances.