With inputs from the Associated Press

Gerrit Cole got through the sixth throwing shutout ball as the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 7-1 on Saturday for their season-high ninth straight win in MLB.

Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run double during a five-run fifth as the Yankees moved to 21-5  win-loss numbers since losing three of four against the Boston Red Sox back in July.

Bronx-raised Yankees infielder Andrew Velazquez hit the first home run of his career in the eighth inning of the game. His family members, who were in the stands, were moved to tears due to the achievement. The 27-year-old journeyman has been staying with his parents since being promoted from Triple-A on July 9.

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The series finale, which was due to be held on Sunday, has been postponed due to Hurricane Henri. The game has been rescheduled for September 13. The Twins will have to interrupt a six-game homestand to return to New York for the makeup game.

Tyler Wade accounted for New York’s first two runs by hitting an RBI single off Kenta Maeda and scoring on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.

Cole dominated in his second start since he went down with mild symptoms of COVID-19. He allowed five hits and turned in his sixth scoreless outing this season, walking one and striking out six.

The right-hander ran into trouble in the fifth by allowing one-out singles to Willians Astudillo and Andrelton Simmons and then a walk to Max Kepler.

After a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, he punched out Jorge Polanco on a 99 mph fastball, then got Donaldson on a called third strike. Donaldson briefly questioned the call on the low changeup before heading to the dugout.

Donaldson pushed Cole into an unwanted spotlight earlier this season by calling out the Yankees ace by name when discussing pitchers he suspected of using illicit grip enhancers. Cole struck out Donaldson twice in an outing days later and did the same Saturday.

The Yankees won their second straight game by at least five runs after playing 13 of 14 decided by three runs or fewer.

Polanco homered for the Twins, who are 2-17 in their last 19 games at Yankee Stadium.

Maeda allowed five runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He exited with right forearm tightness after throwing a 1-0 pitch to Stanton. After throwing his ninth straight pitch out of the strike zone, Maeda bent over, grimaced, and was checked by a trainer before being replaced by Edgar García.

The Yankees took a 4-0 lead when Stanton lined a double to left and went up 6-0 on Voit’s double to left after Aaron Judge was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a grounder by Rougned Odor.

Voit had two hits and two RBIs a night after a four-hit game. The slugging first baseman recently made a public plea for more playing time amid a roster crunch created by three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo’s return from the COVID-19 injured list. Voit is batting .500 (13 for 26) with three homers and 13 RBIs in his past seven starts.