Joe Mauer hit a grand slam to highlight a six-run fifth inning, and the Twins beat the Yankees for the first time in 10 meetings, a 10-5 victory on Tuesday night after another flop by Sonny Gray as a starter.
Didi Gregorius answered Mauer’s big bop with his own slam in the sixth. That was the only bright spot for the Yankees, who dropped nine games behind Boston in the AL East race and had their lead over Oakland for the first wild card spot cut to two games.
Gray (10-9) lasted three innings and allowed three runs — two earned — with four hits and three walks.
Kohl Stewart (1-1) earned his first major league victory despite walking five batters in 3 1/3 innings. He followed reliever Tyler Duffey, who pitched two innings as a bullpen opener in the latest experiment by the Twins with a new trend that Tampa Bay started. This was their first win in three tries with the arrangement.
