Santana’s solo shot lifts Twins over Blue Jays 3-2

Carlos Santana’s go-ahead home run in the fifth inning lifted the Minnesota Twins over the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday.

Jose Miranda’s RBI single in the first inning opened the scoring as Minnesota (23-15) won its third straight. Pinchhitter Max Kepler added another RBI single in the ninth.

Joe Ryan (2-2) struck out seven over seven innings, giving up one run on six hits. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax came out of the Twins bullpen to preserve the win.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s home run in the third inning and his RBI single in the ninth was all the offence Toronto (17-21) could muster. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., went 2 for 4 to improve his batting average to .253 after a slow start to the season.

Yusei Kikuchi (2-3) pitched eight efficient innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three. Nate Pearson and Genesis Cabrera came out of the Blue Jays bullpen, with Pearson giving up a run.

It was the first time the two teams had met since Toronto manager John Schneider made the controversial decision to pull starting pitcher Jose Berrios after three innings for Kikuchi in the Blue Jays’ 2-0 loss to Minnesota in the decisive game of last year’s American League wild-card series.

Miranda gave the Twins an early lead with a one-out single that scored Carlos Correa. Kikuchi struggled to get out of the first inning without giving up more runs, eventually inducing a pop fly from Manuel Margot for a second out.

Heads-up fielding got Kikuchi out of the inning.

Willi Castro decided to try and take advantage of the lefthanded Kikuchi and steal home when Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen threw to second as Miranda tried to swipe the base. But Kiner-Falefa fired the ball back home, with Jansen applying the tag for the inning’s third out.