New York Yankees complete playoff sweep of Minnesota Twins, advance to AL Championship Series

El segunda base venezolano Gleyber Torres conectó un jonrón en la segunda entrada y terminó anotando después de batear cada uno de sus dos dobletes, además de aportar un par de «gemas» a la defensiva, para que los Yanquis doblegaran este lunes 5-1 a Minnesota y avanzaran a la Serie de Campeonato de la Liga Americana.

Con el guante y el madero, Gleyber Torres se cercioró de instalar a los Yanquis en la Serie de Campeonato de la Liga Americana. Y Nueva York siguió dominando a unos Mellizos que no se guardaron para los playoffs ni un gramo de la pólvora que ostentaron en la campaña regular.

Didi Gregorius pegó un par de sencillos productores por Nueva York, que amplió a 13 su número de victorias consecutivas sobre los Mellizos en playoffs.

Tras acumular 103 triunfos en la campaña regular y obtener su primer gallardete divisional desde 2012, Nueva York comenzará la Serie de Campeonato el sábado, recibiendo a Tampa Bay o visitando a Houston.

Torres es el quinto pelotero más joven de los Yanquis que ha conectado un jonrón en postemporada, uniéndose a una tremenda lista que incluye a Mickey Mantle, Tony Kubek, Yogi Berra y Derek Jeter.

Minnesota, monarca de la División Central, se convirtió en el primer equipo con 100 triunfos en una campaña regular que termina barrido en la serie divisional. Los Mellizos tienen una foja de 2-16 frente a los Yanquis en los playoffs desde el primer juego de la Serie Divisional de 2004.

El abridor dominicano de los Yanquis, Luis Severino, conjuró los predicamentos durante cuatro entradas en blanco.

Por los Yanquis, el venezolano Torres de 4-3 con tres anotadas y una empujada.

Por los Mellizos, los venezolanos Luis Arráez de 4-2, Marwin González de 4-1.

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The last time the New York Yankees won the World Series, a full decade ago, Gleyber Torres was not yet a teenager in Venezuela.

Boosted by an age-defiant performance by their 22-year-old star second baseman, the Yankees moved one step closer to that elusive trophy.

Torres got New York going with a second-inning home run, scored on each of his two doubles and made a pair of sparkling defensive plays, fueling the Yankees to a 5-1 victory over Minnesota on Monday night to finish yet another Division Series sweep of the Twins.

“He’s a really special player, a really special player,” first baseman DJ LeMahieu said. “No moment’s too big for him.”

Didi Gregorius hit two RBI singles, Cameron Maybin homered and Aroldis Chapman struck out three batters in a five-out save for the Yankees, who completed the three-game wipeout and pushed their postseason winning streak over the Twins to 13. LeMahieu, Gregorius and Aaron Judge also made outstanding defensive plays for key outs.

“All we did was to go out there and play our best baseball,” said Gregorius, who went 4 for 10 with six RBIs in the series and is 23 for 50 with seven homers and 33 RBIs in his last 14 games against Minnesota.

Following a 103-win regular season and their first AL East title since 2012, the Yankees will start the AL Championship Series on Saturday, either at Houston or at home against Tampa Bay.

“We’re focused already to the second series,” Torres said.

Thanks largely to their young star second baseman.
Employing an aggressive shift that had him in shallow right field, Torres slid and scooped a sharp grounder by Eddie Rosario with two on in the fifth and managed to throw him out from his knees to end the inning. In the seventh, Torres made a slick stop on a grounder by Jorge Polanco and flipped to Zack Britton covering first. Torres even stole third base after his double in the ninth.

“He played so well in this series, and then today, I think, just continued to show the world just how good a player he is on both sides of the ball,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.