05/11/24 12:08:00
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05/11 00:07 CDT Santana hits tiebreaking HR as Twins beat Blue Jays for 16th
win in 18 games
Santana hits tiebreaking HR as Twins beat Blue Jays for 16th win in 18 games
By IAN HARRISON
Associated Press
TORONTO (AP) --- Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning,
Joe Ryan pitched a season-high seven innings and the Minnesota Twins won for
the 16th time in 18 games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday night.
Carlos Correa had two hits and scored twice as the Twins won for the ninth time
in their past 13 games in Toronto.
Jose Miranda added an RBI single as the Twins, who successfully brought their
lucky sausage across the Canadian border, extended their road winning streak to
seven.
Santana was struck on the helmet by the sausage as he returned to the dugout
following his home run.
"When you win, you have fun," Santana said. "We have a great team, we're
playing good. We have to keep continuing to play and take it one day at a time,
one game at a time. That's why we're playing good now."
Ryan (2-2) allowed one run and six hits for his first victory in three starts.
He struck out seven and did not give up a walk.
"Joe worked through their lineup really well and then got stronger, it looked
like, in the sixth and seventh innings," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Jhoan Duran worked the eighth and Griffin Jax pitched the ninth for his fifth
save in seven chances.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits, including his second home run, but the Blue
Jays lost for the sixth time in eight games. Toronto won at Philadelphia on
Wednesday but the Blue Jays haven't won back-to-back games since home wins over
the Dodgers on April 28 and Kansas City on April 29.
Kiner-Falefa cut the deficit to one with an RBI single off Jax in the ninth but
Ernie Clement stranded the tying run at third when his liner hit Jax and
caromed to Santana at first base.
Santana's leadoff homer against Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-3) gave
the Twins at least one home run in 18 consecutive games in Toronto, extending
the second-longest such streak in team history. Minnesota homered in 21
straight games at Kansas City between July 30, 1998 and Aug. 25, 2001.
Santana's homer was his fifth.
"That was obviously one of the biggest swings of the game," Baldelli said.
Santana has 14 home runs and 37 RBIs in 81 career games against Toronto.
"Good pitch to Santana but a better swing on it for the home run," Blue Jays
manager John Schneider said.
Kikuchi allowed two runs and four hits in a season-high eight innings and is
winless in three starts.
"Overall, he was absolutely fantastic," Schneider said. "Eight innings against
a good lineup and he was on his game."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays OFs George Springer and Kevin Kiermaier were both held out of the
starting lineup because of an illness. ... Schneider said RHP Yimi Garca
(back) was available Friday. Garca last pitched April 28.
UP NEXT
RHP Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.78 ERA) starts for Toronto on Saturday against Twins
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 1.74). Gausman has a 6.35 ERA in 11 career
games against Minnesota.
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This story has been changed to correct the number of hits allowed by Ryan to
six.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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