The Toronto Blue Jays hope to ride the momentum of a hitting spree into Saturday afternoon when they go for a series win over the visiting Minnesota Twins.
The Blue Jays outhit the Twins 14-7 Friday night in their 10-4 victory in the opener of a three-game series.
The Twins opened a 4-0 lead on a three-run homer by Ryan Jeffers, who had three hits, and a solo shot by Brooks Lee against Patrick Corbin in Corbin’s Blue Jays debut.
Corbin gave up four runs and six hits over four innings.
Toronto took the lead with a five-run fourth against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson. The go-ahead runs came on the first career homer by catcher Brandon Valenzuela, a two-run shot.
“The guys in the locker room. … they’ve all been in my corner since I got to the team in spring training,” Valenzuela said. “They gave me the confidence that I needed for this moment.”
Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits, including two doubles, with an RBI.
Woods Richardson pitched despite being ill before the game.
“He ate something bad today, so he was throwing up,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “I mean, after the third, he wasn’t in a great spot. We were hoping to get more out of him, and it just looked like he ran out of gas. I give him credit. He threw up before the game but said he could still go.”
Woods Richardson said: “I still have to make pitches, man, no matter how you’re feeling. “You’re going to feel (not good) some days. You’re going to feel good some days. You’re going to feel really (bad) when your body just hurts. Unfortunately, I just had some bad food. I still have to make pitches.”
Shelton said after the game that infielder Royce Lewis would be placed on the injured list with a left knee sprain. Reliever Cody Laweryson is to go on the IL with a right forearm strain.
Toronto is scheduled to start Eric Lauer (1-1, 4.91 ERA) on Saturday. The left-hander is 1-2 with an 8.80 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Twins.
Illness played a part in his most recent start. He took the loss against the White Sox on Sunday when he allowed two runs in two-plus innings of Chicago’s 3-0 victory. He left after one batter in the third because he was dealing with the flu. He had been scheduled to start April 4 but was given the extra day because of the illness.
“It was probably the worst I’ve ever had it,” Lauer said after the game. “I’ve been able to drink my calories more than anything. The hard part is keeping them down.”
Minnesota is slated to start Joe Ryan (1-1, 4.40 ERA) in an attempt to split the first two games of the series. In four career starts against Toronto, the right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA.
Ryan earned his first win of the season on Monday against the Detroit Tigers, 7-3. He allowed three runs (two earned), three hits and three walks while matching his season-best seven strikeouts in five innings.
Ryan survived a 39-pitch fourth inning. Shelton stayed with him through the fifth as his pitch count mounted.
“We needed the fifth out of him,” Shelton said. “I think he threw 40 pitches in the fourth and got away from his delivery a little bit. But that’s what a top-end starting pitcher does. He comes back and settles down.”
–Field Level Media
