Joe Mauer and company unable to solve Yankees' lefty CC Sabathia
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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins offense was baffled in Wednesday's 8-2 loss by a vintage performance from New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia.
The skinny
Sabathia threw 89 of his 119 pitches for strikes, holding the Twins to just two runs on six hits in eight innings. The left-hander struck out 10 while walking only one.
The Twins' only offense came on an RBI single by Matt Carson in the second inning, and an RBI single by Pedro Florimon in the seventh on a ball that ricocheted off Sabathia's leg into right field.
The Yankees took advantage of Samuel Deduno's early exit with a six-run third inning off Brian Duensing that provided plenty of run support for Sabathia.
Deduno reluctantly exited the game with one out in the second inning due to left eye irritation following a lengthy discussion on the mound with manager Ron Gardenhire and trainer Dave Pruemer.
Duensing put out a small fire in the second, but the Yankees tattooed him for six in the third, courtesy of seven consecutive hitters reaching base. Robinson Cano doubled home two, Nish Swisher singled home one, Curtis Granderson tripled home two and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Yankees added two more in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Chris Dickerson.
Joe Mauer struck out three times while going 0-for-4, lowering his batting average to .323.
"His numbers aren't great against him anyway, and we kind of knew that," Gardenhire said. "Joe has been swinging very, very well, but as you can see -- you strike Joe out two or three times, you're doing something pretty good."
The top three hitters in the Twins lineup -- all left-handed batters -- combined to go 0-for-12 with five strikeouts against Sabathia.
Turning point
The Twins will never know if the "good" Deduno or "bad" Deduno showed up Wednesday, because he left after facing only six batters.
The Yankees teed off after his exit.
Numbers game
3-4: The Twins' record against the Yankees this season
1: Career hit for Chris Herrmann, who beat out an infield single with two outs in the ninth inning off righty Cody Eppley.
Health report
OF Josh Willingham remains sidelined with a left shoulder strain
On deck
Thursday: Off day
Friday: vs. Tigers, 7:10 p.m. LHP Scott Diamond (12-8, 3.64) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (16-7, 3.82)
Saturday: vs. Tigers, 3:10 p.m. RHP P.J. Walters (2-4, 5.88) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (16-8, 2.72)
Sunday: vs. Tigers, 1:10 p.m. RHP Liam Hendriks (1-8, 6.09) vs. RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-6, 4.55)
