By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com MINNEAPOLIS -- Javier Vazquez kept his outfielders busy and didn't miss many bats on Thursday, serving up a healthy portion of hard-hit balls as the Twins defeated the Yankees, 8-2, at Target Field, avoiding what would have been a three-game sweep. Jason Kubel homered twice and drove in five runs for Minnesota, belting a solo shot off Vazquez in the sixth inning and a three-run blast off Chad Gaudin in the seventh. Before Kubel took his curtain call from the crowd of 39,087, Vazquez allowed five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 shaky innings, taking his fifth loss of the year and a step back after positive strides in his past three appearances. Minnesota jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Vazquez after two innings, with Justin Morneau lifting a sacrifice fly, Kubel stroking an RBI double and Alexi Casilla hitting into a run-scoring double play. Orlando Hudson opened the fifth with a triple and scored on Jim Thome's sacrifice fly, and Kubel slugged a solo homer in the sixth -- his fourth of the year -- snapping the Twins' homer drought of 349 plate appearances. The Yankees were limited to two runs in seven innings by Nick Blackburn, with Robinson Cano driving in both after coming into the game 0-for-11 lifetime against the right-hander. Cano dropped a single into center field off Blackburn in the fifth that sent Brett Gardner home, then knocked in Mark Teixeira with a sixth-inning double that scooted down the right-field line. Blackburn allowed nine hits, walking none and striking out two.
He's garbage in the AL. I have no idea why the hell the Skanks brought this peace of garbage back to the AL.
