J.A. Happ threw six scoreless innings and the Yankees scored six runs in the seventh inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-0 on Monday at Target Field. >> Box score

1) Happ (16-6) remained undefeated as a Yankee by striking out three batters and shutting down the Twins. In eight starts since being traded from the Blue Jays, Happ is 6-0 with a 2.70 ERA with New York.

2) Miguel Andujar, Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius each hit run-scoring doubles in a six-run seventh inning as the Yankees moved within eight games of the AL East-leading Red Sox.

3) Gary Sanchez went 3-for-5 with a 460-foot solo homer off Kyle Gibson in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie.

4) A day after they went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base, the Yankees went 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position, however they stranded 13 runners. They left a runner on base in each of the first four innings, two in the fifth and sixth and left the bases loaded in the seventh.

Highlights from Monday's game

Swimming in the upper tank. pic.twitter.com/YItZSiIJpG
- New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2018

Call it a triple-double? pic.twitter.com/Rosk6L8cig
- New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 11, 2018

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV Facebook | Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees battery mates brought their A-games as the club collected win No. 90 of the season.

Happ was excellent, keeping the Yankees in a game in which his counterpart was putting zeroes on the board. Happ is now 6-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 46 2/3 innings since being traded to the Yankees. If the Yankees can get by the wild-card game (and Happ is not on the hill for it), it would not be all that surprising to see the lefty lined up to receive two starts in the division series.

Sanchez looked comfortable for the first time since returning from the disabled list, drilling a 460-foot homer and -- perhaps better -- an opposite-field double off the wall. The Yankees truly need Sanchez to catch fire as there is still little indication that Aaron Judge will be completely effective if and when he returns from his stint on the disabled list. The more offensive weapons the Yankees have at their best come October, the better, and Sanchez has demonstrated he has the ability to carry a club when he gets hot.

What's next

Sonny Gray (10-8, 4.96 ERA) and the Yankees face Kohl Stewart (0-1, 5.06 ERA) and the Twins in the second game of a three-game series on Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. at Target Field.

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