Minnesota Twins beaten by Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 in series opener at Target Field
Addison Barger hit a two-run home run, Bo Bichette had a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.
Trevor Larnach homered two batters into the first off rookie Paxton Schultz to give the Twins the lead and tie him for the team lead with 10. Kody Clemens had a run-scoring ground out and Christian Vázquez hit a two-out RBI double to make it 3-0 in the second.
Bailey Ober hit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a pitch to begin the fourth and then gave up his first hit when Barger homered to right field to get Toronto to 3-2. Five of Barger's seven homers have come in his last seven games.
Ernie Clement singled leading off the fifth and Andrés Giménez doubled before Bichette blooped a single to center for a 4-3 lead.
George Springer hit his ninth home run — a solo shot off Mason Fluharty to make it 5-3 in the sixth.
Guerrero doubled leading off the eighth and scored on Alejandro Kirk's single for a 6-3 lead.
Ober (4-2) retired the first eight Blue Jays before walking Andrés Giménez on a full count. He allowed five runs and five hits in seven innings.
Eric Lauer (2-1) replaced Schultz to begin the third and allowed a hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Fluharty and Yariel Rodríguez both got four outs, and Jeff Hoffman pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 17 opportunities.
Royce Lewis went 3 for 3 for Minnesota, which was coming off a 5-5 road trip.
Key moment
Lewis had a two-out RBI single in the home eighth off Brendan Little to get the Twins within two runs, but Little left the tying runs stranded when Clemens grounded out.
Key statistic
Toronto is 236-193 all time against Minnesota, but the Twins have won the season series in six of the last seven years.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (5-4, 3.82 ERA) starts Saturday against Twins RHP Chris Paddack (2-5, 3.58).
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