Taylor, Julien, Correa HR in 9-run 1st, Twins top Yanks 11-2
Michael A. Taylor, rookie Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa hit consecutive homers in a nine-run first inning, and the Minnesota Twins routed the New York Yankees 11-2 on Thursday night.
"That was crazy," Correa said. "We had a blast doing that. It was a lot of fun."
Taylor homered twice and drove in four runs from the No. 9 spot in the batting order.
Joe Ryan (3-0) struck out 10 and walked none while allowing one run and three hits over seven innings. Ryan reached double digits in strikeouts after achieving the feat once in his first 33 starts.
"I've never been a part of an inning, especially right at the beginning of a game, like that," Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. "That's beyond setting the tone. It's just a great inning and a memorable one, too."
Jhonny Brito (2-1), coming off wins in his first two major league starts, gave up seven runs and six hits in two-thirds of an inning as his ERA climbed from 6.75. Minnesota went 3 for 3 with three doubles on his sinker.
"Just obviously a rough night," New York manager Aaron Boone said.
Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of solo homers for the Yankees.
Minnesota, which had lost 13 of its previous 16 games against the Yankees, had its highest-scoring inning against New York in a top of the first that took 28 minutes. The Twins scored their most runs against the Yankees
With about 25 family and friends on hand, the 23-year-old Julien had a night to remember. The Canadian opened the first inning with his first league hit and hit solo homer off Colten Brewer with two outs for an 8-0 lead. The ball bounced off a fan's hand in the first row and Julien got the ball back when a fan threw it back on the field.
"I think it was both exciting for me because the hit was my first hit in the big leagues," said Juiien, who gave the home run ball to his father. "You kind of have pressure to get the first one out of the way. And right after to get a home run, I think I couldn't write a better script."
Julien became eighth player since 1974 to have his first two major league hits in same inning, according to STATS
Minnesota had two on with no outs after Correa reached on an infield hit when a video review overturned the initial call of a forceout at second by umpire Nate Tomlinson.
Trevor Larnach hit a sacrifice fly, Jose Miranda — a cousin of Lin-Manuel — hit an RBI double and Donovan Solano hit a two-run double for a 4-0 lead.
Christian Vázquez had an RBI double, and Taylor, Julien and Correa homered in a 10-pitch span.
Taylor's home run chased Brito, and Brewer entered with little time to warm up.
Correa returned to the lineup after missing four games with back spasms and got his first long ball since returning to the Twins during the offseason after failing physicals with the New York Mets and San Francisco.
Minnesota also hit three consecutive homers against the Yankees' Gerrit Cole last June 9. Taylor had hit third two-homer game and first since June 24, 2017, for Washington.
"It's kind of surreal I think," Taylor said. "You don't have innings like that."
Yankees utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth, reaching 74 mph.
JUDGE'S STREAK ENDS
Aaron Judge went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, ending his career-high 45-game on-base streak end. It was the third-longest streak by a Yankee since 1942.
BACK IN THE BOOTH
Paul O'Neill worked his first game in the YES Network ballpark broadcast booth since 2019. Not vaccinated for COVID-19, he broadcast from a home studio the past three seasons,
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: INF Kyle Farmer was placed on the 10-day IL, a day after he was hit in the face by a pitch and needed surgery to reset his bottom four teeth and suture cuts around his lower lip. … Of Max Kepler (knee) is feeling better and could return by the end of the series.
Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu (quad) was held out for a third straight game. … RHP Carlos Rodón (forearm strain) felt good after playing catch. He had been slowed by back stiffness in recent days and will throw another bullpen Sunday or Monday. … OF Harrison Bader (left oblique strain) took batting practice on the field and fielded flyballs in the outfield. Bader could begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment next week. … 3B Josh Donaldson (right hamstring strain) took grounders and ran sprints. … RHP Luis Severino (right lat strain) threw a bullpen and could throw live practice as part of a split bullpen session Monday.
UP NEXT
Minnesota RHP Louie Varland, who made his major league debut Sept. 7 in the Bronx, will be called up to oppose New York LHP Nestor Cortes (2-0, 2.61) Friday. Varland is being added because the Twins are skipping Kenta Maeda's turn and pushing RHP Tyler Mahle to Saturday.
