Yankees 6, Twins 1
Phil Hughes pitched seven scoreless innings while Marcus Thames and Nick Swisher homered, leading the New York Yankees to a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins and a three-game sweep in the American League Division Series on Saturday night.
The Yankees advance to the AL Championship Series, which begins Friday in either Tampa Bay or Texas. New York also continued its mastery over Minnesota in the playoffs.
The Yankees eliminated the Twins in 2003, 2004 and 2009 and have beaten Minnesota nine consecutive games in postseason play.
The Twins, who won the AL Central, have lost 12 consecutive playoff games. Minnesota couldn't hold leads in the first two games of this series, but were never ahead in Game 3 thanks to Hughes (1-0). The right-hander held the Twins to four hits and struck out six.
New York, which made the playoffs as the AL's wild card team, went ahead in the second against Brian Duensing (0-1). Robinson Cano tripled and scored on Jorge Posada's single. The Yankees scored again in the third when Swisher doubled and came home on Mark Teixeira's single.
The Yankees chased Duensing in a three-run fourth. Cano started the inning with a single and Thames followed with his home run. Duensing allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Brett Gardner added a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Swisher hit a solo homer off Scott Baker in the seventh.
Orlando Hudson's RBI single off Kerry Wood in the eighth scored a run for Minnesota. The Twins loaded the bases with one out, but Boone Logan retired Jason Kubel on a popup and David Robertson retired Delmon Young on a fly ball.
Mariano Rivera retired the side in order in the ninth.