Minnesota @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2015 ) Minnesota 7, NY Yankees 8

Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury are swinging blistering-hot bats as the New York Yankees added to their lead in the American League East by winning four of their last five games. After McCann recorded five RBIs and the pair combined for five hits in an 8-7 win in 10 innings in the opener, the Yankees vie for a series victory when they continue their three-game set against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

McCann is 7-for-20 with three homers during his five-game hitting streak and 19-for-40 (.475) with 11 RBIs in his career versus Tuesday starter Mike Pelfrey. Ellsbury is 10-for-23 in his last five contests after going 2-for-23 in his previous five tilts for American League East-leading New York, which moved one game ahead of idle Toronto. Trevor Plouffe and rookie Miguel Sano each homered among their three hits for Minnesota, which fell 2 1/2 games behind Baltimore in the race for the second wild card. Plouffe has two homers and five hits in his last two games, but is just 4-for-15 (.266) versus Tuesday starter CC Sabathia, who was involved in an altercation this weekend outside of a Toronto nightclub.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Mike Pelfrey (6-7, 3.70) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (4-9, 5.23)

Staked to an early 11-run lead, Pelfrey put it in cruise control in his last outing and allowed one run on four hits in seven innings against Texas to pick up his first win since June 7. The 31-year-old has kept the ball in the park in each of his last four outings and seven of his last nine. Pelfrey has struggled on the road, posting a 2-5 mark with a 5.95 ERA while allowing the opposition to bat .357 against him.

Sabathia escaped serious damage in permitting two runs on nine hits in six innings on Wednesday, but suffered the hard-luck 2-1 loss to Cleveland. The 35-year-old, owner of an impressive 17-9 career mark versus Minnesota, said it was a "bad decision" to engage in a public yelling match. Sabathia, who hasn't won since July 8, struggled in his last meeting with the Twins as he was roughed up for five runs on six hits - including two homers - in a no-decision on July 25.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York 3B/DH Alex Rodriguez is 3-for-37 with 10 strikeouts in his last nine games.

2. Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier collected three hits on Monday to match his sum total from his previous seven contests.

3. Yankees rookie RHP Bryan Mitchell suffered a small nasal fracture after he was on the wrong end of a line drive on Monday.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Twins 3