MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nick Gordon hit a three-run homer and scored in the 10th inning for Minnesota after a pair of miscues by Toronto catcher Danny Jansen, giving the Twins a 6-5 win over the Blue Jays on Friday night.
Gordon, who had three hits in the game, was the automatic runner to start the bottom of the 10th. Jordan Romano (3-3) struck out Jake Cave on a low slider that got past Jansen, who threw wildly to first, allowing Cave to reach and moving Gordon to third.
Tim Beckham hit a grounder to third baseman Matt Chapman, who threw home to get Gordon trying to score. Jansen likely would have had the out but didn’t catch the ball cleanly.
“I actually was sliding and watching the catcher, so I was actually seeing the ball fall and I was kind of yelling at the umpire,” Gordon said. “I was like, ‘Safe, safe.’ So, I was hoping he heard me.”
Toronto rallied from a 5-0 deficit before losing for the fourth time in its last 16 games.
“I think everything lined up the way we wanted it to line up and we just didn’t execute at the end,” interim manager John Schneider said. “I love the way we’re playing and I think it’s one game kind of in a vacuum. You try to squash it and move on.”
Michael Fulmer (4-4) left the bases loaded in the top of the 10th in his second appearance for Minnesota since being acquired from Detroit.
The Twins, who came in having lost six of nine, extended their AL Central lead to two games over Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox.
“Sometimes you just have to battle a little bit,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Put the ball in play. Make the other team make something happen. Once there’s guy on second base, once there’s a guy on third base, really anything can happen in this game if you give yourself…
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