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ArrÃ¡ez has 4 hits, SÃ¡nchez HRs as Twins beat Blue Jays 8-6

Posted June 05, 2022 7:00 am

By IAN HARRISON

Minnesota Twins' Gary Sanchez hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) - Luis ArrÃ¡ez went 4 for 4 with a walk, Gary SÃ¡nchez and Trevor Larnach homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 Sunday.

ArrÃ¡ez leads baseball with a .358 batting average.

'œIt's like he's on fire all the time,'ť Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'œThat's not normal. He's difficult to pitch to. He can shoot a ball anywhere at any time on any pitch.'ť

Six different players drove in a run and the Twins collected a season-high 16 hits as they took two of three from the Blue Jays, cooling down a Toronto team that came into the series on an eight-game winning streak.

'œThis is one of the best teams in baseball right now,'ť Baldelli said of the Blue Jays. 'œThey're very tough.'ť

SÃ¡nchez hit a two-run homer off Jeremy Beasley in the eighth inning, his seventh of the season, and Larnach hit a solo blast off Adam Cimber in the seventh, his fourth of the year.

The Twins roughed up Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-4). Gausman allowed season highs of nine hits and five runs, three earned, in 3 2-3 innings.

'œSome of their guys laid off some pretty good splits that I was flabbergasted they didn't swing at,'ť Gausman said. 'œYou have to keep competing.'ť

Baldelli said he 'œcouldn't have been more pleased'ť with his team's approach against Gausman.

'œThat split plays against everyone,'ť Baldelli said. 'œIt plays against the right-handers, it plays against the left-handers. Finding ways to avoid trying to attack every pitch that's coming out in a certain area, it's a tough thing to do. There's a reason why he's so great, and he's really good. But today, you know, the way that we attacked them worked today.'ť

It was the shortest of Gausman's 11 starts this season, and the first time he has failed to finish five innings.

'œIt was a grind all day,'ť said Gausman, who added that he planned to review the video to see whether he was tipping his pitches.

Twins right-hander Devin Smeltzer allowed two runs and four hits in four innings.

Jharel Cotton (2-1), Griffin Jax, Joe Smith, Jhoan Duran each worked one inning. Tyler Duffey got two outs in the ninth and Jovani Moran retired Bo Bichette to strand runners at the corners to earn his first career save.

George Springer hit the 50th leadoff home run of his career and Santiago Espinal made it close with a three-run home run off Duffey, but the Blue Jays lost for the fifth time in 18 games.

Alejandro Kirk and Matt Chapman added solo home runs for Toronto. Springer's homer was his 11th, Kirk connected for the fifth time, Chapman hit his seventh, and Espinal hit his fourth.

Springer also started an inning-ending double play in the sixth, racing back to the warning track in center to catch SÃ¡nchez's deep drive, then helping double Nick Gordon off second.

Not all of Toronto's defense was so good. Minnesota took advantage of an error by Teoscar HernÃ¡ndez to score three in the first. With runners at first and second, Jorge Polanco hit a fly ball to right but HernÃ¡ndez couldn't make the catch.

Later in the first, the Blue Jays missed a chance at the third out when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appeared to lose Jose Miranda's foul pop up in the sun. Miranda ended up hitting an RBI single as the Twins scored three in the first.

'œIt was cloudy and then the sun came out,'ť Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. 'œI'm not defending my players, but that's not the first time people drop fly balls.'ť

Neither HernÃ¡ndez nor Guerrero was wearing sunglasses in the first, but both had them on afterward.

Jermaine Palacios and Polanco each hit RBI singles in the second to put the Twins up 5-1.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: Shortstop Carlos Correa is back in Minnesota after testing positive for COVID-19 in Detroit last week. Baldelli said Correa will likely need a couple of days of workouts before he returns to the lineup. ... RHP Joe Ryan (COVID-19) will throw a second bullpen session Monday or Tuesday.

DINGER DEFEAT

Toronto has two four-homer games this season but has lost both. The Blue Jays hit four but lost 12-6 to Texas on April 10.

STRONG ARM IN RIGHT

HernÃ¡ndez overcame his error with a pair of outfield assists. He threw out Miranda at third base to end the first, and nailed Gilberto Celestino at second to end the seventh.

RECORD BREAKER

Springer has seven leadoff home runs this season, breaking Devon White's 1991 Blue Jays record.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL

Late Saturday, the Blue Jays traded LHP Ryan Borucki to Seattle for minor league INF Tyler Keenan. Borucki was designated for assignment last Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Twins: Minnesota has not announced a starter for Monday's home game against the Yankees. RHP Jameson Taillon (6-1, 2.30) starts for New York.

Blue Jays: RHP Ross Striping (1-1, 4.22) makes his first start in place of injured LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (forearm) when Toronto opens a three-game series at Kansas City Monday. LHP Daniel Lynch (2-4, 4.81) goes for the Royals.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Devin Smeltzer throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette throws to first base to put out Minnesota Twins' Gio Urshela at first base in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws to a Minnesota Twins batter in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman, front left, tags out Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda, front right, who was attempting to advance on a single by Gilberto Celestino in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer (4) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Devin Smeltzer (31) throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer, right, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Devin Smeltzer, left, in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

Toronto Blue Jays' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., center left, puts the home run jacket on George Springer, center right, after Springer hit a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP) The Associated Press

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