Brandon Valenzuela hit his first career home run, a two-run blast that capped a five-run fourth inning Friday night and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 10-4.
Daulton Varsho added a solo shot and a double in the opener of a three-game series while Vladimir Guerrero had three hits, including two doubles and an RBI.
Davis Schneider contributed two hits and two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who have won two in a row after dropping six straight.
Ryan Jeffers hit a three-run home run and added two singles for the Twins, who had won their four previous games. Brooks Lee added a solo shot.
The Twins took a 3-0 lead in the first inning against Patrick Corbin. Austin Martin and Luke Keaschall hit one-out singles. Jeffers clubbed a first-pitch cutter to left with two out for his first homer of the season.
Lee led off the fourth with a homer to left on a 3-2 cutter.
Toronto scored five in the home fourth against Simeon Woods Richardson (0-2).
Guerrero scorched a double to center over Byron Buxton’s head to start the rally. Jesus Sanchez followed with a double to center and Schneider sliced a one-out double to right. Andres Gimenez stroked an RBI single to left and Valenzuela hammered a hanging splitter to right for a homer that gave Toronto a 5-4 lead.
Tommy Nance replaced Corbin, who allowed four runs, six hits, one walk and two hit batters with three strikeouts in four innings.
Joe Mantiply (1-0) struck out all three batters he faced after replacing Nance with two out and one on in the fifth.
Woods Richardson also was replaced after the fourth. He allowed five runs, six hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
Anthony Banda allowed Varsho’s leadoff homer in the fifth. Banda walked Schneider in the sixth and Ernie Clement lined an RBI double to left. George Springer doubled to left to bump the lead to 8-4.
Guerrero singled in the seventh against Taylor Rogers, stole second and scored on Schneider’s single.
Valenzuela reached first on an infield hit in the eighth against Justin Topa and scored on Guerrero’s double to left.
–Field Level Media
