▶Luke Voit has a big hit as New York tops Minnesota for its seventh straight win.
Slugger in leadoff spot for third time this season
Leadoff hitter Luke Voit had a two-run double in New York’s fourrun third inning and the surging Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 Thursday night for their seasonhigh seventh straight victory.
Voit made his third start out of the leadoff spot this year and was New York’s designated hitter now that the team is comfortable playing Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield. He gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead with a double down the left-field line off John Gant (0-1) and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rizzo — his replacement at first base.
Voit’s clutch hit came two nights after he drove in the decisive runs in a doubleheader sweep of Boston and said he deserved to play as much as Rizzo. After scoring New York’s fourth run on Rizzo’s sacrifice fly, Voit emphatically clapped his hands after crossing the plate.
Kyle Higashioka homered and started the four-run inning with an RBI double. Both hits scored Bronx native Andrew Velazquez, who had two hits and also stole a base — New York’s 30th since the All-star break. Stanton homered in the eighth. Jameson Taillon (8-4) took a shutout into the fifth before allowing four straight one-out hits. He allowed three runs and five hits in 5 1⁄3 innings for his seventh straight win.
Jake Cave homered and Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double off Taillon. Polanco also added a twoout RBI single off Zack Britton in the eighth and Miguel Sano homered off Chad Green in the ninth.
The Yankees are 19-5 since losing three of four in Boston July 22-25. Coming off a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, the Yankees remained one game ahead of Oakland for the AL’S first wild-card spot.
Trainer’s room
Yankees: A second opinion on RHP Luis Severino’s tight right shoulder did not show any structural damage. Severino will not throw the rest of this week and could join the team on its West Coast trip to meet with doctors in person.