Yankees win five in a row defeating Twins 7-4

Gregorius homers for 4th straight game as Yankees win 5th in a row

NEW YORK — Didi Gregorius homered for the fourth straight game and added two RBIs to his major league-leading total, sending the New York Yankees past the Minnesota Twins 7-4 in a hazy fog Wednesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

Tyler Austin hit a threerun shot and made a sparkling defensive play at first base to stop a Twins rally. With a fine effort from the bullpen, New York handed Minnesota its sixth defeat in a row — the team’s longest skid since a sevengame slide in September 2016.

Slumping slugger Miguel Sano launched an early two-run homer for the Twins, who lost their seventh straight to New York, including last year’s AL wild-card game. They have dropped 12 of their last 13 at Yankee Stadium, counting the postseason.

After a rainy day in the Bronx that forced both teams indoors for batting practice, the game began on time in 53-degree weather before a scattered crowd. And by the mid-to-late innings, a damp mist had morphed into a soupy, spooky fog that descended on Yankee Stadium and made it feel more like Victorian London.

Play on the field didn’t seem to be affected all that much, but late in the game Yankees announcers said the fog was so thick that the YES Network couldn’t get the strike zone box to function on the telecast.

Chad Green (2-0) relieved shaky starter Sonny Gray in the fifth inning and got

five outs for the win. Green retired slumping Logan Morrison with the bases loaded to end the fifth.

Morrison, who began the night batting .103, whiffed again with the bases loaded against Chasen Shreve for the second out of the seventh.

Austin then sprinted some 90 feet to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory of Robbie Grossman’s popup near the low retaining wall, preserving New York’s 6-4 lead.

David Robertson pitched a perfect eighth and Aroldis Chapman closed for his fourth save.

Gregorius charged in to make a barehanded play at shortstop for the final out, with the call at first base upheld following a replay review.

Gregorius had an RBI single in the first, a solo homer in the third off Lance Lynn (0-2) and a bunt single to beat the infield shift in the sixth.

He also walked twice, reaching safely all five times up, and leads the majors with 29 RBIs.

All nine of his home runs this season have come at Yankee Stadium.

Austin’s homer in the third gave New York a 5-2 lead. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton each had a sacrifice fly for New York.

Gleyber Torres got two hits and scored twice.

Elsa / Getty Images Didi Gregorius hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Twins at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. It was the fourth game in a row he homered.