Yanks' Pen Struggles in Loss to Twins

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Yankees	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	1	4	9	0
Twins	0	0	0	1	0	0	4	0	x	5	8	0

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Yankees

0

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

1

4

9

0

Twins

0

0

0

1

0

0

4

0

x

5

8

0

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Yankees

0

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9

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Twins

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1

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4

0

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5

8

0

Phil Hughes pitches against the Twins on Tuesday. (Getty Images)

The Yankees were unable to recover after their shaky seventh inning as they were defeated 5-4 by the Twins on Tuesday.

Phil Hughes started for the Yankees and he pitched decent. Hughes allowed 4 runs on 6 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 4 and walked 1. Hughes pitched better than his line shows. He exited in the sixth with 99 pitches thrown, in which 69 of them were for strikes.

Boone Logan replaced Hughes in the sixth inning, but could not escape the bases loaded jam. Logan issued a wild pitch, which scored one, then allowed a two-run single to give the Twins a 4-3 lead. The Twins would score one more on a Joe Mauer RBI single.

Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson provided the offense tonight as they both hit jacks in the game.

Andruw Jones came on in the ninth inning to pinch hit for Raul Ibanez and he hit a hanging slider for a home run. The Yankees wouldn't be able to score once more as they suffered the loss.

The Yankees and Twins will conclude their three game set tomorrow.

Yankees Activate Brett Gardner and David Aardsma from the Disabled List

The Yankees have announced that they have activated outfielder Brett Gardner and pitcher David Aardsma from the disabled list on Tuesday.

Gardner has been out since April 17th and is returning from arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on July 24th. David Aardsma has been recovering from Tommy John Surgery which was performed in 2011. The Yankees signed him in the offseason knowing that he will not pitched until the end of the season or until 2013.

Brett Gardner will be used for mainly for pinch running and as a defensive substitute.

The Yankees have designated left-hander Justin Thomas and outfielder Steve Pearce for assignment.

Game 154: Yankees at Twins

September 25th, 2012, 8:10 pm ET, Target Field

TV:  MY 9 Radio: WCBS 880

Weather: Clear, 58 Degrees, Wind: W at 10 MPH

The Yankees and Twins will play the middle game of their three game set.

Click Here for the probable pitchers for this series.

Here are the lineups:

Yankees (89-54)
Derek Jeter, SS
Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nick Swisher, 1B
Curtis Granderson, CF
Russell Martin, C
Raul Ibanez, LF
Jayson Nix, 2B

Pitching: Phil Hughes RHP (16-12, 4.05 ERA this season)
(Phil Hughes against the Twins: Click Here)

Twins (64-90)
Denard Span, CF
Ben Revere, LF
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Ryan Doumit, DH
Chris Parmelee, RF
Trevor Plouffe, 3B
Jamey Carroll, 2B
Pedro Florimon, SS

Pitching: Esmerling Vasquez RHP (0-2, 6.75 ERA this season)
(Esmerling Vasquez agianst the Yankees: Click Here)

Enjoy the game!

Pettitte Backed by Homers in Win

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Yankees	3	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	6	10	0
Twins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	10	0

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Yankees

3

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6

10

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Twins

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0

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0

1

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3

10

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Yankees

3

0

0

1

0

0

2

0

0

6

10

0

Twins

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

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10

0

Andy Pettitte pitches against the Twins on Monday. (Getty Images)

The Yankees were able to take the opener against the Twins on Monday as they defeated them 6-3. The Yankees launched four home runs to back up Andy Pettitte, who picked up his fifth win of the season.

Andy Pettitte, who is making his second start since coming off of the disabled list, pitched 6 innings of shutout ball. He allowed 7 hits, struck out 3 batters, and walked only 1. Joe Girardi said prior to the game that Pettitte would throw a maximum of 85-90 pitches. He would finish his outing with 88 pitches thrown, in which 53 of them were for strikes.

The Yankee offense jumped on the Twins early as they scored three runs in the first inning. Nick Swisher drove in two runs with his monster shot to right center field, which gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead early.

Curtis Granderson would launch his 40th home run this season and his 207th of his career.

Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez both homered in the seventh inning, which at the time gave the Yankees a 6-0 lead.

The Yankees were able to rest some of their key guys in the bullpen. Cory Wade and Justin Thomas struggled as they allowed three runs combined.

David Robertson came on in the ninth inning with one out to shut the door.

The Yankees and Twins will resume their three game set tomorrow night.

Granderson Becomes Fifth Yankee with Consecutive 40 Homer Seasons

With his home run in the fourth inning against the Twins on Monday, Curtis Granderson placed himself in Yankee History. Granderson launched a 437 foot moonshot to right field for his 40th home run, but more importantly it made him only the fifth player in Yankee history to record consecutive 40 home run seasons.

Curtis Granderson joins Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Jason Giambi in this exclusive club.