Ben Rice hit a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs in the third inning, and the New York Yankees snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
The Yankees ended their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight from Aug. 12-22, 2023, and won for only the fourth time in their last 15 games.
Following a 53-minute rain delay, Rice lifted a full-count fastball from Minnesota rookie starter Mike Paredes into the right field seats for his 24th homer. Rice went deep after entering the third with two hits in his previous 26 at-bats.
Trent Grisham accounted for three runs after missing 18 games with a strained right hamstring. Grisham, who hit his 11th career leadoff homer, preceded Rice’s homer with a base hit that caromed off first base and lifted a sacrifice fly when the Yankees scored twice in the seventh.
Jose Caballero added an RBI single and scored on a headfirst slide when Grisham flew out.
Gerrit Cole (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out seven, walked none and improved to 6-0 in his career against the Twins.
Cole was also warming up following the delay when Rice homered.
The game was paused after Cole struck out Brooks Lee to end the third inning. During the delay, the scoreboard in center field displayed Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup round of 32.
Kody Clemens homered off Cole’s 1-2 knuckle curve in the first and Victor Caratini lined a two-strike RBI single in the fourth before Ryan Kreidler struck out.
Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn each pitched a perfect inning for the Yankees before Fernando Cruz got Royce Lewis on a forceout with the bases loaded to end the eighth. David Bednar struck out the side in a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his 17th save.
Paredes allowed three runs on four hits in four innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked two.
