Toronto’s two-run second inning stood all Sunday afternoon as the deciding runs in a 3-0 victory over the Twins at Target Field.
The Twins were undone by baserunning and fielding miscues in a game punctuated by centerfielder Willi Castro’s fielding error that allowed right fielder George Springer to score from first for the third and final run in the eighth inning.
The Blue Jays won the three-game series 2-1 before an audience announced at 31,025.
The Blue Jays’ first two runs were enough for former Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios to get the victory and improve to 5-4 this season. That’s two seasons after the Twins traded him to Toronto on July 30, 2021 for infielder Austin Martin and pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson.
Berrios allowed four hits, no runs, walked five and struck out five in 5⅔ innings before righthanded reliever Trevor Richards entered to finish up the sixth inning. Bailey Ober started for the Twins, allowed those two runs that probably shouldn’t have been earned and allowed five hits, walked two and struck out seven in five innings.
Austin has been injured and Woods Richardson is pitching for Class AAA St. Paul. Twins reliever Emilio Pagan left the game because of a left hip flexor strain after facing one batter in the seventh inning.
On Saturday, Canadian born and raised Edouard Julien doubled twice and hit a home run in a 9-7 victory over a Blue Jays team he cheered when he was a boy.
On Sunday, Julien committed a base-running error during a first inning when the Twins threatened but left with nothing.
He also ranged to his left and fielded a ground ball but dropped it when he went to throw for the inning’s final out, allowing the Blue Jays to score twice.
Julien also struck out twice.
Leadoff hitter Joey Gallo singled to start the Twins first and Julien walked to get runners at first and second with no outs. Carlos Correa followed with a single to right field that advanced Gallo to third but no farther as he was held there.
Meanwhile, Julien rounded second intent on advancing to third, expecting Gallo to head for home. When Gallo stopped at third, Julien was stuck between bases and was an easy out when catcher Alejandro Kirk — ball in hand after right fielder George Springer’s throw home to him if Gallo headed that way — threw to shortstop Bo Bichette for the tag out.
That ended their threat in the first.
The Blue Jays capitalized by scoring twice in their second inning for a 2-0 lead that featured Julien prominently again.
This time, not as a careless base runner but as a fielder.
With two out, Blue Jays centerfielder Daulton Varsho hit a grounder to which Julien ranged to his left to field. He slid to scoop it up and spun, ready to throw Varsho out at first.
He dropped the ball as he prepared to throw, keeping Varsho safe at first on a play ruled a hit by the game’s official scorer.
Next up, catcher Alejando Kirk hit a blooper into shallow center field, upon which centerfielder Willi Castro, Julien and left fielder Alex Kirilloff all converged.
Kirilloff came closest to it, sliding but unable to catch it.
On the run with two outs, third baseman Matt Chapman scored from third and Varsho scored from first for that 2-0 lead.
The Twins never put a runner farther than Gallo reaching third in the very first inning before he was stranded when outs by Byron Buxton and Kirilloff ended the inning.
Kirilloff almost reached third in the fourth, when he walked and tried to get there from first on the run with two outs when Willi Castro hit a bloop single to center field.
But Varsho fielded it on one hop and threw out Kirilloff on a rope at third to end the inning.
Varsho also made a leaping grab at the center field wall to take away Correa’s long drive near the top of the wall between the 411 and 403 foot markers.