Yankees 6, Twins 3: Andy Pettitte worked six scoreless innings and Nick Swisher hit one of four homers as New York ensured itself another night in first place.

Curtis Granderson, Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez each hit solo home runs for the Yankees, who pushed their lead in the American League East over the Baltimore Orioles to 1 1/2 games. The Orioles split a doubleheader with Toronto on Monday.

Pettitte (5-3) scattered seven hits and walked one while striking out three in his second start since coming off the disabled list. The veteran left-hander worked his way up to 88 pitches - 53 strikes - and should be back to full strength in the next turn or two.

New York gave Pettitte all the support he would need in the first inning. Robinson Cano pushed across the first run with a groundout and Swisher followed later in the inning with a two-run blast that slammed off the facing of the second deck in right center.

Liam Hendriks (1-8) served up Granderson’s blast in the fourth and Ibanez and Chavez added to the lead in the seventh. Hendriks was charged with all six runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Granderson became the sixth Yankee to have back-to-back 40-homer seasons.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Yankees SS Derek Jeter went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a pair of walks, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. … Minnesota RH Matt Capps was activated from the DL Monday after missing 64 games with a right rotator cuff injury. He worked a scoreless ninth inning. … Twins SS Pedro Florimon connected for his first major-league home run off Corey Wade in the eighth.