Bautista hits slam, Blue Jays beat Twins, win 4th in row

A pregame meeting couldn’t lift Minnesota’s slumping offense out of its recent malaise.

Josh Donaldson’s power surge at the plate is driving the Toronto Blue Jays into contention and the Minnesota Twins into submission.

The Twins had scored seven total runs in their previous five games, including four games of exactly one run. They are 5-12 since the All-Star break. “It’s been a rough trend for most of our guys as of late”.

“I wasn’t trying to do a Knute Rockne or anything”, Molitor said.

We’re not sure how he returned to the clubhouse, but we hope someone provided a wheelchair.

Even though the Twins didn’t stop their scoring drought, third baseman Trevor Plouffe said the team remains confident. In 132 innings between the two levels, the right-hander allowed just one home run. Colorado’s Kyle Kendrick has surrendered 26.

One inning after Donaldson homered, Bautista hit a grand slam that gave the Blue Jays the lead for good. “They’re a tough group to navigate”. Torii Hunter drove in Minnesota’s lone run for the second straight day, but is 0-for-6 in his career versus Wednesday starter Drew Hutchison. LaTroy Hawkins came on to get the save and gave up back-to-back singles to get the Jays bullpen active again. I’m like, ‘Really? Well, I probably won’t have a chance to get that.’. For another, they ripped through an incredible stretch in May and have been mostly mediocre otherwise. 500 for the first time since June 28.

Hicks’ double ignited another good inning in the fifth, with Joe Mauer following with a two-run single to set up Sano’s resounding homer, his fifth of the year and first away from Target Field. Hicks, who was moved to the leadoff spot for just the second time this season, was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Hughes also walked two on May 4, against Oakland. The 29-year-old has feasted on the Twins, recording seven homers and 22 RBIs during his 23-game hitting streak versus the club.

Donaldson has a 22-game hitting streak against the Twins.

Stroman underwent what the club called season-ending surgery in March after he tore the ACL in his left knee during a fielding drill in spring training.

Torii Hunter’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly halved the deficit in the fourth, but Dioner Navarro chased Hughes and made it 3-1 with an RBI double in the sixth. He was suspended after his ejection Sunday for hitting Kansas City Royals SS Alcides Escobar with a pitch…. Sanchez is appealing his penalty. I think it makes a lot more sense against left-handed pitchers than it does against righties, but it’s still an interesting shakeup for a lineup that was struggling in a bad way.

Duffey allowed six runs and five hits in two innings. Duffey has posted a 6-8 mark with a 2.66 ERA with in 21 games at Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Hutchison gave up seven runs, three of them earned, in five innings.