Field Level Media
Jul 23, 2018
Logan Morrison hit a home run and had three RBIs, Max Kepler added a two-run blast, Adalberto Mejía pitched into the sixth inning and the visiting Minnesota Twins defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 Monday night.
The Twins ended a three-game losing streak while stopping the Blue Jays' string of three straight wins.
Mejía (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Rochester for the game, allowed one run, eight hits and two walks while striking out three in 5 1/3 innings. It was the second major league start this season for the left-hander.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a solo homer for the Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series.
Toronto starter Luis Santos (0-1) allowed one run, three hits and one walk in two innings in his first major league start. Santos was recruited from the bullpen for the start with Marco Estrada still on the disabled list with a strained glute.
The Twins scored once in the first inning on a double by Joe Mauer and a triple by Eduardo Escobar.
Minnesota scored twice in the third against Tim Mayza. Mauer led off with a single and was forced at second by Eddie Rosario. Escobar walked and was forced at second by a Brian Dozier grounder as Rosario took third. Dozier stole second and Logan Morrison hit a two-run single.
Gurriel hit his fifth homer of the season in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 3-1.
The Twins scored two runs in the fourth. Mitch Garver and Robbie Grossman singled against Mayza. Mauer and Escobar hit RBI singles against Aaron Loup.
Minnesota added three runs against Joe Biagini in the fifth on Morrison's 12th homer of the season and Kepler's 13th.
Matt Belisle retired the final two batters of the sixth after replacing Mejía with the bases loaded and pitched around a single and a walk in the seventh.
Jake Petricka pitched a perfect sixth and Jaime Garcia added three flawless innings for Toronto.
Minnesota's Matt Magill pitched around a walk in the eighth. Fernando Rodney allowed a double, a wild pitch, a walk, Yangervis Solarte's sacrifice fly and Kendrys Morales' RBI single as Toronto scored twice in the ninth.
--Field Level Media