(Toronto) Despite four home runs, the Toronto Blue Jays lost 8-6 to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon.
Santiago Espinal hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning for the Blue Jays (31-22), but four hitters later, Bo Bichette landed at third base to end the game and leave the runners on the first and third pads.
George Springer, Alejandro Kirk and Matt Chapman hit a solo homer for the Blue Jays.
Twins hitter Luis Arraez hit four singles to lead the Twins offense, which won two of three games against the Torontonians. Minnesota troops placed 16 balls in a safe spot on Sunday.
Trevor Larnach hit a long ball solo in the seventh inning and Gary Sanchez added a two-run slap in the eighth for the visitors.
In his fifth start to the campaign, Devin Smeltzer allowed four hits, including two homers, in four working innings for the Twins.
The Twins (32-24), leaders of the American Central Division, made life difficult for Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman (5-4) in the first two innings.
“Some of your guys dropped a lot of good shots and I was surprised they weren’t going,” Gausman said. You have to keep competing. We made adjustments, but I took a lot of pictures. It was obviously my worst start to the year. »
Gausman allowed a single to Arraez and Sanchez in a 31-shooter first round. Arraez scored when Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez missed a flying ball.
Sanchez then crossed home plate after a low ball from Gio Urshela into Bichette’s glove. Jorge Polanco made it 3-0 as José Miranda entered the base after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lost the ball in the sky.
Hernandez and Guerrero didn’t wear sunglasses in the first set, but resolved the situation in the second.
“It was cloudy and then the sun came out,” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo. I’m not defending my players, but it’s not the first time people have knocked down candles. This has been going on for 100 years. It’s a shame when this happens to you and it costs two points. »
“Obviously it was frustrating,” added Gausman. These guys are doing everything they can before games to catch some candles. Sometimes you can no longer see the ball. It was a shame to start the game this way. »
Hernandez, however, defeated Miranda at third base after Gilberto Celestino hit a single to right field.
Springer reached his 11and homer of the season at the end of the first round, but the twins scored two runs in the second.
Nick Gordon took the ball with a triple and advanced 90 feet after a Jermaine Palacios single. The latter touched the plate three hitters later, after a simple infield from Polanco.
“The damage was already done,” emphasized Gausman.
Kirk hit his fourth long shot in five games after two eliminations in the fourth inning.
After Larnach gave the Twins a 6-2 lead in the seventh inning, Chapman had a four-base solo hit.
Gausman allowed five runs, including three won, nine hits, and a walk in three and two-thirds of the mound innings. The Blue Jays then used five relievers.
