Minnesota 6, Toronto 5
When: 2:10 PM ET, Sunday, May 31, 2015
Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Temperature:
58°
Umpires:
Home -
Quinn Wolcott, 1B -
Eric Cooper, 2B -
Chris Guccione, 3B -
Lance Barksdale
Attendance:
33829
By The Sports Xchange
MINNEAPOLIS -- It wasn't pretty for the Minnesota Twins. But on Sunday, as they have all month, the Twins found a way.
Minnesota overcame an early injury to its starting pitcher and rallied in the late innings, winning 6-5 over the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of a three-game series at Target Field.
The win was the Twins' 20th in May and vaulted them to the top of the American League standings, percentage points ahead of the Houston Astros and one-half game clear of the Kansas City Royals. Minnesota finished its six-game homestand with a 5-1 record and won seven of its last eight overall.
The 20-win month was the ninth in franchise history and the first for Minnesota since June of 1991. Their 30 wins through 49 games are the most for the Twins since starting 33-16 in 2001.
"I think maybe we're going to change tomorrow to May 32nd and see what happens," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Staying in the moment. We're doing some good things but it's your ability to find a way to stay with what's making you successful and I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself with that."
On Sunday, the Twins led early then led again late, thanks to some timely hits from the top of their batting order.
With the Twins trailing by a run after a solo homer by Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson in the top of the inning, Minnesota got the leadoff man aboard after a throwing error by Jays shortstop Jose Reyes. Twins second baseman Brian Dozier followed with a single two batters later, setting up right fielder Torii Hunter, who ripped the first pitch he saw off the wall in left-center field. The two-run double turned a 5-4 deficit into a one-run lead.
"When I was running, I was like, 'Get up, get up,'" Hunter said. "When it hit the wall I was excited. I think I had a little football intensity, trying to pump the team up. The guys were fired up."
Right-hander Blaine Boyer pitched a scoreless eighth and closer Glen Perkins worked around a leadoff single in the ninth, navigating the heart of the Toronto batting order for his league-leading 19th save.
Right-hander J.R. Graham did yeoman's work out of the bullpen in place of Ricky Nolasco, who left the game with two men on and nobody out in the second inning. One of Graham's inherited runners scored and he allowed another unearned run, but he kept Minnesota within striking distance into the middle innings. Graham pitched three innings, allowing three hits, all singles, and a walk while striking out four.
"Just go out and pitch," Graham said of his mindset entering the game. "The toughest part is slowing it down coming out in that kind of situation."
Ryan Pressly picked up the win for Minnesota, getting out of a one-on, one-out jam in the seventh inning after Donaldson's home run.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wasn't pleased with his team's lack of focus in some areas, running into outs on the base paths on two occasions and making a pair of errors in the field.
"We got exposed today and that's been happening a little bit lately," Gibbons said. "I don't really know what to tell you. We'll shower off, get on the plane and go to (Washington) D.C."
Toronto starter Drew Hutchison allowed four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and did not figure into the decision.
Minnesota took the early lead on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Joe Mauer in the bottom of the first.
Reyes knocked in two on an infield single in the second to give the Jays the lead. Single runs in the fourth and fifth extended that lead to 4-1 before the Twins rallied with three in the sixth. Mauer knocked in second baseman Brian Dozier with a single to left ahead of third baseman Trevor Plouffe, who blasted his eighth homer into the second deck in left to tie the game at 4-4.
Roberto Osuna took the loss, allowing one run on two hits and a walk in an inning of
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Toronto |
|
Minnesota |
Drew Hutchison |
Player |
Ricky Nolasco
|
No Decision |
W/L |
No Decision |
5.1 |
IP |
1.0 |
3 |
Strikeouts |
1 |
7 |
Hits |
3 |
6.75 |
ERA |
18.00 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Toronto
|
13 |
1 |
18 |
.371 |
17 |
6 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
Minnesota
|
9 |
1 |
15 |
.281 |
11 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
2 |