Blue Jays blanked by Twins
TORONTO — Ryan Borucki wasn’t too worried after once again missing out on his first major league win.
The 24-year-old rookie is confident that milestone will come soon enough, especially if he continues to pitch the way he did on Tuesday night.
Borucki allowed two runs (both unearned) and six hits and struck out two batters over six innings as the Blue Jays fell 5-0 to the Minnesota Twins.
It was the second time he’d received zero run support in five career starts. “It’s going to happen sooner or later, hopefully,” Borucki said when asked if he was getting anxious over his winless record.
“As long as I keep doing what I’m doing, keep pitching and trying to keep this team in games as long as I can — it’s going to come. It’s that simple.”
Jose Berrios pitched seven shutout innings for his 10th win of the season and Eduardo Escobar hit a three-run homer to lead Minnesota to its second win over the Blue Jays in as many nights.
Toronto was shut out for the sixth time this season while losing its third straight to the Twins for the first time since a four-game skid in 2005.
“Berrios is one of the top young pitchers in baseball,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “You know he’s not going to give up much.”
Berrios (10-7) allowed four hits, walked one and struck out nine in a 102-pitch performance before relievers Trevor Hildenberger and Ryan Pressly stepped in to keep the shutout intact.
Borucki (0-2) matched Berrios nearly every step of the way, producing his fourth quality starts in five outings and not walking a batter for the second time this season.
A fielding error did him in in the sixth as the Twins (46-53) scored twice after Teoscar Hernandez flubbed a fly ball from Joe Mauer to lead off the frame. Brian Dozier drove in Mauer with a sac fly and Escobar and Robbie Grossman followed with back-toback doubles to extend the lead to 2-0.
Gibbons called the Hernandez error “costly.”
Borucki had dominated early, retiring the first 10 batters he faced — to the delight of the 31,933 in attendance — before allowing back-to-back base hits with one out in the fourth. He worked out of that jam with two quick outs.
Escobar hit his 15th homer of the season in the eighth inning, sending a 3-2 offering from Canadian reliever John Axford over the right-field wall to break open the game.
The Blue Jays (46-54) had just five hits, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. accounting for two of them. He singled twice to tie Al Woods’ 1997 Toronto record for most multi-hit games by a rookie (seven).
The Blue Jays cap their three-game series against Minnesota today.
NOTES: Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada left his rehab start with triple-A Buffalo in the fourth inning Tuesday with a blister on his right middle finger. The team said he’s day to day . . . . Closer Roberto Osuna had his rehab assignment transferred to triple-A and pitched one inning, allowing two hits, a walk and a strikeout. Osuna is serving a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s joint domestic violence policy. He was charged with assault in Toronto on May 8 and has not appeared in an MLB game since.
Toronto suffers 3rd straight defeat to Minnesota, 5-0
Paxton scratched for Mariners, hopes to make next start
SEATTLE — James Paxton and the Seattle Mariners are hoping a bit of caution now keeps from dealing with additional problems later.
Paxton had a setback in his recovery from a lower-back injury and was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday. Rather than coming off the disabled list to face San Francisco, Paxton remained on the DL dealing with the stiffness in his lower back. Roenis Elias was scheduled to get the start against the Giants in Paxton’s place.
“Just trying to be smart,” Paxton said. “We’re fighting for post-season here. We need the best me out there to help us.”
Paxton went on the DL on July 13, a day after he gave up three runs and got just two outs against the Angels.