New York — Nathan Eovaldi suddenly went from throwing a pretty good game to throwing batting practice.

Eovaldi became the second Yankees pitcher in more than 100 years to serve up three straight home runs in the Bronx, and the Minnesota Twins romped past New York 7-1 Sunday.

The hard-throwing Eovaldi had allowed just two hits and trailed 1-0 when he walked Joe Mauer in the sixth inning. Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe and Max Kepler followed with loud homers in quick succession.

"I think it was just that two-out walk I had on Mauer. I've got to be able to turn the page and continue to attack," Eovaldi said. "It was just that one inning I fell apart."

Eduardo Escobar was up next and a booing crowd hollered even more loudly when he hit a hard smash that sailed far foul. He grounded out to end the homer streak.

"His stuff for 5 2/3 was really good and he just made a bunch of mistakes after that," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about Eovaldi.

The only other time since 1914 the Yankees had allowed three straight homers in the Bronx was 1982 when Doyle Alexander was nailed, STATS said.

Eovaldi (6-5) lost to the Twins for the second time in eight days. He is winless in five starts, tagged for 10 homers and 25 runs in 26 innings during that span.

The rough patch all came in June, and followed a May in which he went 5-0 in six starts.

Eovaldi gave up a career-worst four home runs, and Twins manager Paul Molitor said he thought they came on four different pitches. Eovaldi often relies on a fastball that approaches 100 mph, but the Twins connected on his changeup, slider and splitter.

"I fell behind and they were able to capitalize on it," Eovaldi said.

Tyler Duffey set down the first 17 Yankees batters and wound up pitching two-hit ball for eight innings while the Twins backed him with six home runs.

Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe and Max Kepler hit consecutive homers in the sixth to help Minnesota end a three-game skid. Danny Santana, Eduardo Nunez and Juan Centeno also connected.

Duffey (3-6) pitched perfect ball until Aaron Hicks lined a clean double into the right-field corner with two outs in the sixth. Walking back to the dugout after the inning ended, Duffey passed Hicks and tapped his former Twins teammate with his glove.

Facing all the Yankees batters for the first time, Duffey struck out eight, walked none and stopped a team that had won three in a row. The 25-year-old righty began the day with a 6.18 ERA, was 0-3 in his last five starts and had been hit hard in seven straight outings.

Mark Teixeira hit a leadoff homer in the Yankees eighth. Duffey fanned the next three batters to wrap up his longest outing in the big leagues.

No one has ever thrown a perfect game against the Yankees. The last pitcher to toss a complete-game no-hitter against them was Hoyt Wilhelm for Baltimore in 1958.

The Twins have won just two of their last 12 against New York. Brandon Kintzler completed the combined two-hitter.

Santana put the Twins ahead with a solo homer in the third, then they teed off in the sixth.

Dozier, Plouffe and Kepler gave Minnesota its first set of back-to-back-to-back homers since 2014, when Chris Parmelee, Oswaldo Arcia and Eric Fryer did it.

Trainer's room

Twins: Plouffe returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a strained groin. He shifted over from 3B and made his second start of the season at 1B.

Roster move

The Yankees recalled righty Luis Cessa from Triple-A and sent down RHP Nick Goody. Girardi said the move will let him use LHP Richard Bleier as a lefty specialist. Bleier relieved in the seventh and struck out the lefty-swinging Kepler. Cessa pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up Nunez's homer.

Up next

RHP Ivan Nova (5-5, 5.18 ERA) starts at home Monday night against AL West-leading Texas and RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez, who pitches in the majors for the first time this year. Nova gave up a season-high six runs vs. Colorado in his last start.