The Associated Press
Brian Hall
MINNEAPOLIS–Kyle Gibson appeared headed for a short outing, and the Minnesota Twins’ playoff outlook looked as shaky as their starting pitcher.
Minnesota’s offence boosted both with a big rally.
Eddie Rosario homered twice, and Joe Mauer hit a grand slam, as the Twins overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 13-7 yesterday afternoon to maintain control for the second AL wild-card berth.
Minnesota trailed 5-0 in the second inning after Josh Donaldson’s second homer.
But Rosario and Byron Buxton hit consecutive homers to start the rally as the Twins burst ahead with a seven-run bottom half that included Jorge Polanco’s tie-breaking RBI grounder.
“You never feel like your offence is going to put up 13 runs,” Gibson admitted. “But that inning kind of had that kind of a feel.
“You can see early on when the guys have a lot of confidence.
“‘Rosie’ hits that homer and ‘Buck’ hit that homer,” he noted. “They both walk by me and say, ‘Hey, we got you. Let’s go.'”
Minnesota then pulled away with six more runs in the fifth against reliever Chris Rowley.
With the win, the Twins re-opened a two-game lead over the L.A. Angels for the second AL wild card and closed within four games of the Yankees heading into a three-game series at New York that starts tonight.
Gibson (11-10) allowed five runs, three hits, and five walks in six innings while tying a season-high with eight strikeouts to help the Twins gain a four-game split of their series with the Jays.
Minnesota manager Paul Molitor nearly took out Gibson early.
“There was one pitch away a couple of times,” Molitor noted.
“It’s hard to explain a beginning like that,” he added.
“Of all the things he’s done, this one’s, in some ways, is maybe a little more impressive to give us six innings after that start.”
Joe Biagini (3-11) gave up six runs (four earned) and five hits in 1 1/3 innings for Toronto.
He is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA in two starts and two relief appearances against the Twins.
“I put them in a tough position for what they want to do,” Biagini said.
“I don’t blame them for taking me out,” he added. “I wish I would have gotten a chance to stay in, fight through it and limit the damage.
“But I understand what they’re thinking so I don’t blame anybody.”
Rosario also homered in the fifth for his fourth career multi-homer game and went deep five times during the homestand.
Mauer hit his fourth slam–his first since Sept. 1, 2012 at Kansas City and his first-ever at home.
Minnesota also tied a franchise record by homering for the 16th-straight game and has a major league-high 74 since Aug. 8.
