Yankees avoid sweep, roll past Twins 12-6

Aaron Judge hit a bases-clearing double to cap a five-run second inning and appeared to dodge an injury scare as the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 12-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Minneapolis.

Judge celebrated his 31st birthday by helping the Yankees stop a season-high three-game losing streak and avoid getting swept in a three-game series against the Twins for the first time since Sept. 6-8, 1991, in the Twin Cities.

Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning after starting the second with a double and taking third on a throwing error by center fielder Nick Gordon.

Judge doubled off Minnesota starter Kenta Maeda (0-4) after the Yankees took a 2-0 lead on Willie Calhoun's infield single for the first run and rookie Anthony Volpe's RBI single.

After Judge's three-run double, he tried to steal third but was easily thrown out. He landed awkwardly on his right hand while trying to execute a head-first slide but remained in and as the designated hitter after getting checked out by trainers in the clubhouse.

Volpe added a two-run double and scored on a double by Anthony Rizzo in New York's six-run fourth. Torres then blasted a 2-2 pitch into the second deck in left for his third homer and an 11-1 lead.

DJ LeMahieu nearly hit a home run in the eighth inning but settled for a sacrifice fly when left fielder Trevor Larnach made a leaping catch.

New York's Domingo German (2-2) allowed six runs on five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out eight, walked three and exited after Gordon opened the seventh with a triple and scored on a groundout by Max Kepler.

Jose Miranda hit his first two home runs of the season for Minnesota with a solo drive in the second and a two-run blast in the fourth. Former Yankee Joey Gallo added a two-run homer in the sixth for the Twins, his seventh homer this season and fourth since returning from the injured list.

Maeda was tagged for career highs of 10 runs and 11 hits in three-plus innings. He appeared to injure his hip and was lifted after throwing a 1-0 pitch to LeMahieu.