TORONTO — Everything turned up in a flash for the Twins. And when it came time for the big swing, Carlos Correa acted with authority.
Minnesota were on the back foot for much of Saturday’s 9-4 victory, but three straight singles in the eighth inning set the stage for a bright spot for a man known for standout performances. By two runs, the Twins shortstop loaded the bases with a dangling slider from Blue Jays Sidewinder Adam Cimber.
There was no doubt about the explosion itself, but Correa knew he caused it. As Reiner soared into the left field seat, the packed Rodgers Center gasped, shocked to see their home club take the lead in the closing stages. Correa, meanwhile, was ecstatic, waving to the dugout before making his first touch and soaking in what was probably the Twins’ biggest hit of the season.
“It felt really good,” Correa said. “I’m not going to lie. Bases loaded, trailing, and [to] Just flip the game like this. It was wonderful. “
The Blue Jays were knocked out by Correa’s explosion, but Minnesota chased hard with a hit, closing it out with a spectacular 3-run home run by Max Kepler to make it 7 in the 8th inning.
“It’s great to stack up and get a lot of at-bats,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. “We were jumping on each other and we had good at-bats, so things turned out very well in our favor. I like
In fact, it turned out that there was a precedent for the Twins to defeat the Jays pitchers on the expedition. After Saturday’s hit parade, Minnesota had a 16-game home run streak at the Rogers Center, with a total of 35 long balls in that time.
Correa took honors in the contest, but it wasn’t all clear since he signed a six-year, $200 million deal to stay in Minnesota. He’s still a defensive master and a respected voice in the clubhouse, but it’s taken a while for the bat to cook. The 28-year-old came out Saturday and posted a career-low batting average of .212, but his big hits reminded everyone of his ability.
“That’s why he’s back here,” said Joe Ryan, who made his 10th quality start of the year. “Obviously a great player and it’s good to see him hitting the ball a little harder now. But it’s great to see him break the game here today.”
As Baldelli said, when Correa leaves, so does the Twins’ batting order.
“I think having guys you can count on go out when you need them and score a grand slam will motivate other players,” Baldelli said.
Edouard Julien’s contribution to the Twins’ win was easy to overlook as Correa led and the offense had 12 hits. The 24-year-old, who arrived in Toronto late Friday to replace the injured Jorge Polanco, had a leadoff hit on Saturday, going 2-for-3 with one walk, one stolen base and one run.
A native of Quebec City (about a seven-hour drive from Toronto), Julien grew up watching the Blue Jays three or four times a year. He put a lot of energy into his first chance at an MLB game in Toronto and backed up all that sentiment with his great play.
“It means a lot,” Julian said. “I have always dreamed of playing here.”
Julian’s contribution is important in this big win, but it also has long-term implications. The Twins are in great form right now with three of their most established hitters — Polanco, Byron Buxton and Joey Gallo — out through injury. As a result, Minnesota’s batting order has become like a giant turnstile with platoon players swapping in and out.
But despite roster fluctuations in recent weeks and some early deficits, the Twins haven’t compromised on their commitment to increasing their plate appearances.
“It didn’t go so well in the beginning, but that didn’t affect anyone’s approach in the second half of the game at all, nobody abandoned it, and everyone just kept working,” said Baldelli. Told.
If you parachute after the eighth inning in this match, you won’t realize that the club just shrugged off a five-game losing streak. Through his first two games of this series, the Twins’ engine ran very smoothly from offense to defense to pitching. We have a chance to sweep on Sunday.
“We want our players to keep working. If they do, our talent will improve and we will see what we are made of,” added Baldelli.
