Jays Beat Twins, 6-5
TORONTO (AP) — Anthony Gose singled home the winning run in the 10th inning as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 on Monday night.
Adeiny Hechavarria hit a one-out single off Brian Duensing (4-12) and moved to second on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter J.P. Arencibia struck out on a pitch that bounced away from catcher Drew Butera, whose throw to first hit Arencibia in the helmet and rolled into foul territory. Hechavarria appeared to score, but home plate umpire Marvin Hudson called Arencibia out for running inside the line. Manager John Farrell came out to argue and was ejected for the second time this season.
Gose followed with a bouncing single up the middle, scoring Hechavarria.
Adam Lind went 4 for 4 and Brandon Lyon (4-0) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top half of the 10th to earn the win in front of a season-low crowd of 12,359.
Toronto tied it in the ninth when Yan Gomes hit a two-out homer, his fourth, snapping Glen Perkins' streak of 12 straight successful save conversions.
Trevor Plouffe homered and had three RBIs for the Twins, who lost their third straight.
Three-time AL batting champion Joe Mauer went 1 for 5, dropping his average to .322. Mauer came in two points behind Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in the batting race, and two points ahead of Angels rookie Mike Trout.
Lind's RBI single in the first inning gave the Blue Jays the lead. Toronto starter Aaron Laffey hit Chris Parmalee to begin the second and Plouffe followed with a drive to center that bounced off a television camera. It was his 24th of the season.
Plouffe hit a two-out RBI double in the third, and Mauer made it 4-1 with an RBI single in the fifth to score Jamey Carroll, who had singled and moved to second on shortstop Hechavarria's throwing error.
Toronto chased Vasquez with a two-run sixth. Brett Lawrie walked and Lind picked up his third single before Yunel Escobar moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. After Kelly Johnson walked to load the bases, Hechavarria followed with a grounder to third. Rather than trying to start a 5-4-3 double play, Plouffe threw home to get Lawrie, but Hechavarria beat Drew Butera's relay to first. Jeff Mathis lined the next pitch past third base for a two-run double, cutting it to 4-3. Alex Burnett came on and caught Gose looking to end the inning.
The Twins replied with a run in the seventh against Brett Cecil. Ben Revere singled, stole second and scored on Carroll's base hit through the right side.
Toronto cut it to 5-4 in the seventh when Lind doubled off Tyler Robertson, his fourth hit of the game, scoring Lawrie from first base.
The Blue Jays put runners at first and third with two outs in the eighth but Jared Burton struck out Rajai Davis to preserve the one-run lead.
Making just his sixth major league start, Esmerling Vasquez allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked three and struck out one.
Laffey allowed four runs, three earned, and eight hits in five innings.
Minnesota slugger Josh Willingham, who leads the team with 35 home runs, missed his sixth straight game with a sore left shoulder. With just two games remaining, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Willingham is unlikely to play again this season.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)