GAME CENTRE
Hernandez blast covers up errors in field, on bases
A four-run eighth inning helped the Blue Jays earn their second road win of the season, 5-3 over the Minnesota Twins on Monday, despite some haphazard play earlier in the night.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a nodoubt home run — his first of the season — to left field, a three-run blast with an exit velocity of 109.7 miles per hour, to secure the victory. The homer cashed in Randal Grichuk and Justin Smoak, who had singled home Freddy Galvis earlier in the inning. Toronto out-hit Minnesota 11-5 on the night.
On the mound: Jays starter Matt Shoemaker went six innings and gave up three runs on four hits, including a three-run bomb by his former Angels teammate, C.J. Cron, in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shoemaker also walked four, after giving up just five bases on balls in his previous three starts, but he lasted 100 pitches for the first time since June 2017. Sam Gaviglio, Tim Mayza, Daniel Hudson and Joe Biagini gave up one hit combined in relief. Biagini pitched the ninth inning, earning his first save since April 2017 and third of his career. Gaviglio was credited with his first win of the season.
Blooper reel: There was some sloppy play by the Jays — especially on the basepaths. First, Grichuk ran into an inningending out in the third when he tried to to stretch a double into a triple. A hesitation at second base and a quick relay — after centre fielder Byron Buxton hit shortstop Jorge Polanco — added up to an untimely out … In the bottom of the inning, right fielder Billy McKinney and second baseman Alen Hanson collided on a pop-up to shallow right … The most egregious mental lapse was committed by Brandon Drury and Hernandez in the sixth. After drawing a ball on a 2-and-2 count, Drury mistakenly thought he’d walked and headed for first. Hernandez, on first after out-out single, saw that, strayed from the bag and was picked off — later recorded as a caught stealing. Charlie Montoyo, who has been evenkeeled since he took over as Jays manager, looked frustrated in the dugout after the unnecessary out. Out of here: Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, a member of the Tampa Bay Rays coaching staff with Montoyo for the previous four seasons, was thrown out in the bottom of the eighth after he s argued a Cron strikeout. It was the first ejection of his brief managerial career.
Reliever returns: Right-hander Ryan Tepera reportedly met up with the Jays on Monday in Minnesota, after starting the season on the injured list because of right elbow soreness. He pitched two innings for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on a rehab assignment last weekend and is expected to be added to the 25-man roster on Tuesday. Jackie’s day: To honour Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s colour barrier in 1947, Twins starter Martin Perez threw the first pitch at 7:42 p.m. — in honour of Robinson’s No. 42.
Up next: Aaron Sanchez starts for the Jays against fellow righty Kyle Gibson and the Twins, Tuesday at 7:40 p.m.