New York @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2015 ) NY Yankees 1, Minnesota 3

The New York Yankees came into the month looking at a four-team race in the American League East but have spent the last few weeks turning it into a one-team division. The Yankees will try to pick up their fifth straight win when they visit the Minnesota Twins for the start of a three-game series on Friday.

New York is 12-4 this month, including 5-1 since the All-Star break, to open up a 5 1/2-game lead on the rest of the AL East. The Yankees are doing it mainly with strong starting pitching and are allowing an average of 2.7 runs since the break. The Twins are in a playoff race of their own but needed eight scoreless innings from Ervin Santana in a 3-0 win on Thursday to snap a four-game slide. Minnesota, which is three games up on Toronto for the second wild card, will turn to former Yankee Phil Hughes on Friday while New York counters with Michael Pineda.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (9-6, 3.77 ERA) vs. Twins RH Phil Hughes (8-6, 4.15)

Pineda had a string of three straight quality starts come to an end on Saturday, when he was reached for four runs on six hits in six innings to suffer a loss against Seattle. The Dominican Republic native surrendered three home runs in his last two starts, matching his total from the previous six turns. Pineda is 5-3 with a 4.11 ERA in eight road starts this season.

Hughes has not lost since June 8 and is coming off a seven-inning stint at Oakland on Saturday in which he allowed one run but did not factor in the decision. The California native yielded at least one home run in eight straight starts. Hughes, who spent the first seven years of his career in New York after being drafted and developed by the organization, is 1-1 with a 5.65 ERA in two starts against the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees CF Jacoby Ellsbury has doubled and scored in three straight games.

2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer has hit safely in six straight games.

3. New York SS Didi Gregorius had three hits on Thursday after going 3-for-22 in his previous six contests.

PREDICTION: Yankees 8, Twins 4