MINNEAPOLIS, May 27 (UPI) -- Jason Kubel hit two homers and drove in five runs Thursday, powering the Minnesota Twins to an 8-2 win over the New York Yankees.
The Twins avoided a three-game sweep, with Nick Blackburn limiting the Yankees to two runs despite giving up nine hits over seven innings.
Kubel had an RBI double in the second, hit a solo homer in the sixth to give Minnesota a 5-2 lead and then broke things open with a three-run shot in the seventh.
Blackburn (6-1) did not walk a batter in winning his fifth straight start. Two of those victories have come against New York.
The Twins defeated the Yankees for just the second time in 15 meetings, including a New York sweep in last year's divisional round of the playoffs.
Javier Vazquez (3-5) took the loss, allowing up five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3. New York had managed one-run victories in each of the first two games in the series.
