"A.J. Burnett had given up four runs on nine hits in four-plus innings and was getting hit hard in the fifth. Manager Joe Girardi seemed to have little choice but to yank the right-hander — again.

But Burnett wasn't thrilled with the hook, thinking he deserved more leeway.

"Joe does what he can to get this team a win, and we won," Burnett said after the 6-4 victory over the Twins. "Heaven forbid I give up a couple hits. But you do whatever you can to get your team a 'W,' I guess."

When asked if it was disappointing to not get through the fifth despite being staked to a 5-0 lead, Burnett said: "I didn't get through the fifth because I wasn't allowed to get through the fifth. So it wasn't that I couldn't get through the fifth.""