Joe Ryan’s strong start helps Twins end nine-game losing streak vs. Yankees

NEW YORK — It had been more than two years, back on April 25, 2023, since the Twins had beaten their chief tormentors, or even held a two-run lead over the Yankees. Outscored 63-21 during the streak, not to mention 15-3 in the first two games here this week, the Twins have not been competitive in New York in quite a while.

But Joe Ryan, who started none of those nine losses, made them so. Having won two of his three starts in the Bronx, the righthander is one of the few recent Twins who actually enjoys playing here.

“It’s fun. It’s a special place to play baseball. You want to beat them every time,” Ryan said. “I like exploring the city and roaming around and having a good time and getting good food. It’s always a trip I look forward to.”

The Yankees probably wouldn’t mind if he skipped it from now on. The All-Star struck out seven, never gave up more than one hit in any of his 6⅔ innings, and surrendered only one home run to the MLB long-ball leaders, who hit four on Monday and three more Tuesday.

This one was to Cody Bellinger, his second of the series and 22nd of the season, but it came with bases empty in the third inning. So insulted by the foul line-hugging fly ball to right field was Ryan, he responded by striking out the next four hitters he faced.

“Man, he had crazy stuff. He got mad, was making faces. He’s still upset during the game that he gave up the home run,” Twins third baseman Royce Lewis said. “But it’s great when he’s out there, knowing that two or three runs might be enough.”

It would have been this time, too, but Lewis actually provided a fourth.

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Though Bellinger’s home run gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead, the Twins’ lineup appeared energized by the deficit. Trevor Larnach drew a leadoff walk in the fourth inning off Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, and Buxton followed with a double. Luke Keaschall tied the score with a ground-out RBI.

Two innings later, after Schlittler gave way to Yerry de los Santos, the Twins struck. OK, the first two hits, a couple of well-placed ground balls by Buxton and Keaschall, didn’t leave the infield, but Kody Clemens’ definitely did. He smacked the eighth pitch of his at-bat, a 3-2 high fastball, into the gap in right-center, and it rolled to the warning track, scoring the two baserunners. Clemens went to third when center fielder Trent Grisham bobbled the ball.

“It’s cool, for sure, to have a big hit here. It’s my first hit here, I think,” Clemens said, accurately. “With the history and being with my family and all — I mean, I spent my boyhood around here. So it’s great. Just glad I came up in a spot like that and executed.”

Lewis followed with a two-out double that landed just inside the foul line in the left-field corner — Cuzzi territory, for you Twins history buffs, though this one was called correctly — Clemens scored the Twins’ fourth run.

“Joe Ryan’s one of the best pitchers in baseball, and we just got a chance to watch him on a really big stage,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “That was just an incredible outing for Joe.”

The final hit Ryan allowed was notable, though: A seventh-inning double by Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, the 16th consecutive game against the Twins in which he’s collected a hit. That’s the longest hitting streak by a Yankee in the teams’ 64-year history of playing each other.

The game drew an announced 44,466 to Yankee Stadium, an early-arriving throng to collect Aaron Judge bobbleheads. They had to wait through a rain delay of nearly two hours before first pitch, as did an army of Twins players’ families, here as part of the annual “Family Trip,” with wives and children invited to fly on the team charter and stay in the team hotel.