A six-run third inning sparked by hits from Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson led the New York Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon.

Cano doubled to right field to score Ichiro Suzuki and Chris Dickerson and give the Yankees an early 2-1 lead. Granderson tripled later in the inning to bring in Cano and Nick Swisher, then scored himself on a wild pitch to extend the Yankees' lead to 6-1 after three innings.

CC Sabathia improved to 14-6 on the season after striking out 10 and only allowing two earned runs on six hits in eight innings of work.

With the win the Yankees opened up a two-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East and reduced their magic number to six with seven games to play. The Orioles will have a chance to cut New York's lead when they wrap up a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at home on Wednesday night.