A-Rod Crushes 3 HRs as Bullpen Collapses in Twins Loss

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins squandered a five run lead in an 8-5 loss to Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees on Saturday night.

The game looked to be in hand as Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a first inning two-run home run by Aaron Hicks.

Torii Hunter extended the Twins lead to 5-0 in the third with a three-run home run to right field as Minnesota looked well on its way to another dominant victory over the hated Yankees.

Then A-Rod started crushing the ball.

Amidst torrential boos from the Target Field crowd, Rodriguez tagged Twins starter Tommy Milone -- who had kept the rest of the Yankees lineup in check -- for a solo home run in the fourth and a two-run shot in the seventh.

Milone left the game shortly after, having allowed four runs on four hits through six innings.

Leading 5-4 in the top of the ninth inning, closer Glen Perkins came in to close the door for his 30th save of the season, but Rodriguez belted his first pitch over the center field fence to tie the game.

It was Perkins' second blown save in a week and four batters later, Yankees backup catcher John Ryan Murphy cemented the Twins' collapse with a three-run home run to right-center field.

The Twins went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth in a demoralizing loss to the A.L. East-leading Yankees.

Minnesota (52-45) will look to bounce back in the rubber match of the series at 1:10 p.m. with Kyle Gibson (8-7) taking the mound against Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi (9-2).