Grichuk, Smoak power Jays to first series win of year
One big inning gave the Blue Jays their first series win of the season.
Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer and Eric Sogard added a three-run double in a five-run fourth inning as the Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 7-4 to take three of four games at Target Field.
The Jays hit three homers — Randal Grichuk in the first and Smoak in the fourth off Twins starter Michael Pineda, and Teoscar Hernandez in the eighth off Tyler Duffey — but there was little in the way of celebrations afterward.
A day earlier, Grichuk made headlines when he seemingly criticized Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson for celebrating a two-run homer against Kansas City on Wednesday with a bat flip. Anderson was drilled in the rear end his next at-bat, setting off a benches-clearing incident.
“Guys are getting a little excessive on pimping HRs, on meaningless HRs too,” Grichuk tweeted Wednesday. “Act like you have done it before, one time.”
The post prompted a terse exchange between Grichuk and Anderson on social media, which drew eyes across baseball and reignited a long-held debate about unwritten rules of stoicism in the game.
Toronto seemed to back their teammate’s beliefs Thursday, celebrating with subdued handshakes.
á Second coming: Clay Buchholz went 42⁄ innings in his 3 second start of the season, allowing three runs in the second inning, the first on an Eddie Rosario leadoff homer. He was in a bit of a jam in the fifth after walking Jorge Polanco and giving up a two-out single to C.J. Cron, but Thomas Pannone struck out Marwin Gonzalez to end the inning. Buchholz left after allowing six hits and three walks.
Rosario hit a second homer in eighth inning off Jays lefty Tim Mayza, one of just two hits the bullpen allowed. Joe Biagini, who replaced Mayza, was credited with the win, while Ken Giles picked up his sixth save of the season.
á Roster move: The Jays reinstated right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera to the 25-man roster on Thursday, designating fellow bullpen arm Javy Guerra for assignment. Tepera, who missed the first three weeks of the season because of right elbow inflammation, seemed destined for Tommy John surgery this past spring, but was eventually treated with a cortisone shot and rest, he told MLB.com this week.
Tepera retired the Twins in order when he pitched the sixth inning Thursday. He is expected to return to his role as Toronto’s main setup man in the near future.