NEW YORK -- The enthusiasm about the back end of the bullpen was evident for the New York Yankees.

As for their feelings about reaching .500, not so much.

However, thanks to an error by Minnesota Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar with one out in the bottom of the eighth and three more scoreless innings by Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, the Yankees went over the .500 mark with a 2-1 victory Saturday afternoon.

"It's great, it's amazing," said Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda who turned things over to the trio after allowing one run and two hits in six innings and smiled as he talked about the relievers. "When those three things come, it's great. To see those things; it's amazing."

On Friday the Yankees held leads of 4-3 and 5-3 when the late-game trio did not allow a ball out of the infield while combining to throw 35 pitches. This time Betances and Miller pitched in a 1-1 game until the Yankees scratched across the tiebreaking run in the eighth off Ryan Pressly (2-4).

"We know if we get one, we like our chances," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said.

The Yankees had first and third when Mark Teixeira heard boos for striking out on the 10th pitch of his at-bat. One pitch later and with the infield in, Starlin Castro hit a hard grounder that deflected off the front of Escobar's glove for his second error of the game and the ball went into center field allowing pinch runner Aaron Hicks to score the decisive run.

"You saw it," Escobar said through a translator of the error. "What is there to say? I went to get it. The ball came out of my glove and what happened happened."

Chapman preserved the lead but was not quite as dominant as Friday when his first 10 pitches were over 100 mph and the 11th was a 91-mph changeup.

He gave up a two-out single to Joe Mauer. After allowing the hit, he ended his 15th save in 16 opportunities by striking out Brian Dozier on a 100-mph fastball.

"Their being at home enables them to use those three guys again in a tie situation, not just the lead which is the right thing and they all did their job again," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said.

And when Chapman ended it, the Yankees (37-36) held a winning record for the second time this month after being at or under the break-even point every day since April 13.

"I think we've had this conversation like four or five times this year," New York right fielder Carlos Beltran said. "Right now, honestly, what we want to do is be consistent, honestly. I think the .500 thing is something we're not paying attention. We just want to be out there and play consistent baseball and hopefully we can continue to win ballgames and continue to gain ground in our division."

The Yankees improved to 12-0 when Betances, Miller and Chapman appear in the same game. In those games, they have combined for a 1.24 ERA while striking out 62 of 130 hitters.

The Twins took a 1-0 lead on Dozier's ninth home run, a drive into the left field bleachers off Pineda's 3-1 fastball to open the second. Minnesota had one hit the rest of the way, two base runners and the last 16 hitters were retired by Yankees pitching.

Minnesota held its lead until the fifth when the Yankees had three straight singles. On a 3-1 pitch from Ervin Santana, Beltran lined a single up the middle and Jacoby Ellsbury scored from second.

Santana's day ended when he opened the sixth by allowing a single to McCann. He allowed one run and six hits in five-plus innings.

NOTES: To make room for 1B Mark Teixeira, who came off the disabled list, the Yankees designated 1B Ike Davis for assignment. Davis was 3-for-14 in eight games and said he was not surprised to be designated while also adding he would consider joining Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre if he clears waivers. ... Minnesota 3B Trevor Plouffe missed his second straight game because of a mild right groin strain and remains day-to-day. He did participate in some baseball activities by doing some running, taking swings in the batting cage and fielding ground balls. ... OF/3B Miguel Sano (hamstring) is expected to play seven innings at third base for Triple-A Rochester. Sano began his rehab assignment there by playing five innings in the field and getting two plate appearances. ... Other than offering injury updates, Twins general manager Terry Ryan said pitching coach Neil Allen will return to his role at some point this season. Allen was suspended by the team last month following a DWI arrest.