New York @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2018 ) NY Yankees 5, Minnesota 10

The New York Yankees appeared to be a lock for the first wild card in the American League a short time ago, but their lead has dwindled significantly as they head into the rubber match of their three-game series against the host Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. New York's cushion over Oakland for home field in the wild-card game was reduced to two games with Tuesday's 10-5 loss.

The Yankees fell to 4-4 on their nine-game road trip and 7-8 overall since sweeping a four-game series at Baltimore from Aug. 24-26 while the Athletics have won five in a row and seven of eight - including two of three versus New York last week - to tighten the race. Didi Gregorius went 2-for-3 in the loss with a triple and a grand slam, but Giancarlo Stanton continued to struggle as he went hitless in two at-bats to drop to 4-for-38 with no homers and two RBIs over his last 10 games. Jorge Polanco collected three hits and an RBI while Joe Mauer belted his fifth career grand slam as the Twins posted their third win in five contests following a five-game losing streak. Polanco has gone 5-for-9 over the first two games of the series and has hit safely in eight of his last nine contests.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (17-7, 3.52 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (5-10, 4.57)

Severino is coming off his shortest start of the season, a loss at Oakland on Wednesday in which he was tagged for six runs - five earned - and six hits over 2 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old Dominican has suffered five of his seven setbacks on the road, where his ERA (4.16) is more than a full run higher than his mark at home (2.86). Severino made his lone career start against Minnesota on Sept. 20, 2016, when he gave up three runs and five hits over three innings in a no-decision.

Odorizzi lost his third consecutive start on Wednesday as he surrendered five runs on four hits - two homers - and four walks in 4 2/3 innings at Houston. The 28-year-old native of Illinois has won just one of his last 10 outings and worked more than six frames once in 29 turns this season. Odorizzi fell to 5-8 with a 4.61 ERA in 15 career appearances (14 starts) versus the Yankees on April 23, when he yielded five runs on five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings at New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Gregorius has hit two of his three career grand slams this season - both versus the Twins.

2. Mauer's grand slam on Tuesday was his 596th career extra-base hit, tying him with Tony Oliva for fourth place on the Twins' all-time list.

3. New York 3B Miguel Andujar is tied with Bob Meusel (1920) for the third-most doubles in franchise history by a rookie with 40 and needs five to break the record set in 1936 by Joe DiMaggio.

PREDICTION: Yankees 8, Twins 1