Blue Jays’ comeback bid falls short as Twins even series in extra innings | CBC Sports

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.

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 the opportunity.”

The Blue Jays rallied in the ninth against new Twins closer Jorge Lopez, another trade deadline acquisition who was an All-Star for Baltimore. Bo Bichette and Danny Jansen singled before Raimel Tapia blooped a two-out single into shallow centre field.

Making his Minnesota debut, Tyler Mahle became the first Twins starter to finish six innings since Sonny Gray went six against Detroit on July 24.

Mahle allowed one hit through the first four innings before giving up homers to Matt Chapman, Santiago Espinal and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a two-run blast to centre in the sixth.

“I was excited to play in a meaningful game,” Mahle said. “Haven’t really done that all year. Excited that my family was here to see it.”

Gordon’s fifth homer of the season capped a four-run fourth against former Twins starter Jose Berrios, who gave up five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.