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 The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander has a 10-2 record despite a 5.42
ERA.
When Hutchison is on the mound, the Toronto hitters seem to respond
when opponents are scoring runs against him.
On Wednesday night, that was the case again. Right fielder Jose
Bautista hit a grand slam, designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion added
a three-run shot and the Blue Jays held on to defeat the Minnesota
Twins 9-7.
Third baseman Josh Donaldson also hit a two-run homer for the Blue
Jays, who have won the first three games of the four-game series.
"We did what we do best," Bautista said. "We scored some runs, and
it was enough to get the win."
The Blue Jays score about seven runs per game when Hutchison pitches
because there are too many games like this one when he allowed three
runs in the first inning before he got into a groove that lasted
until Minnesota scored four unearned runs in the fifth.
"He was definitely up early in the game. He couldn't get anything
down," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Sometimes I think he
overthrows, he's looking for power when that's not really who he
is."
Hutchison allowed seven hits, two walks and seven runs (three
earned) in five innings.
"Our bullpen did a great job and the offense (was as good) as it's
been all year," Hutchison said. "I got kind of lucky."
It was the fourth win in a row overall for the Blue Jays (57-52) and
the fourth straight loss for the Twins (54-53)
Designated hitter Miguel Sano had an RBI single and a two-run homer
for the Twins.
Minnesota right-hander Tyler Duffey (0-1) lasted two innings in his
major league debut. He allowed six runs and five hits, including two
home runs, and two walks.
"We knew it was a tough environment for him," Twin manager Paul
Molitor said. "They got the best of him. You applaud the guys
staying with the game through nine innings, but you've got to deal
with the fact that you came up short again."
Duffey said, "I tried to make stuff too good instead of just doing
what I've been doing and it came back to bite me a couple of times.
I was trying to do too much with my curveball today. I bounced about
10 of them over there in the chalk. All I had to do was throw it
over the plate."
Right-handed reliever Liam Hendriks, left-hander Brett Cecil and
right-hander Mark Lowe each pitched one scoreless inning before
right-hander LaTroy Hawkins entered the game in the ninth.
Hawkins, acquired last week from the Colorado Rockies, allowed
singles by shortstop Eduardo Escobar and pinch-hitter Eduardo Nunez
to start the ninth.
Left fielder Shane Robinson sacrificed the runners to second and
third. Center fielder Aaron Hicks fouled out to third and second
baseman Brian Dozier lined out to left.
It was the third save of the season for Hawkins and his first for
Toronto. He became the 13th pitcher with a save against every major
league team.
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Sano hit an RBI single and third baseman Trevor Plouffe had a
two-run double in the first for the Twins.
The Blue Jays answered in the bottom of the first with two runs on
the 29th homer of the year by Donaldson, scoring shortstop Troy
Tulowitzki, who walked.
The Blue Jays took a 6-3 lead in the second when Bautista slugged a
3-1 changeup to center for his 24th homer of the season and fifth
grand slam of his career.
"I felt pretty good when that pitch came out of the hand. I felt
nice and loose and fluid I just took a nice hack," Bautista said.
Right-handed reliever J.R. Graham gave up Encarnacion's 20th homer
of the season, a three-run shot in the fourth. It also scored left
fielder Ben Revere, who singled, and Bautista, who walked.
Revere's hit was his first with the Blue Jays after coming from the
Philadelphia Phillies in a trade on Friday. He had gone 0-for-13
since joining Toronto.
The Twins scored four unearned runs in the fifth to cut the Blue
Jays' lead to 9-7. First baseman Joe Mauer had a two-run single to
score Robinson, who reached first on Donaldson's error, and Hicks,
who doubled. Sano followed with his fifth homer of the season.
"I was able to get two outs and then I was unable to make the pitch,
a single and a home run and I allowed them back in the game, which
you can't do," Hutchison said.
NOTES: Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez began serving his three-game
suspension after dropping his appeal. He was suspended after his
ejection Sunday for hitting Kansas City Royals SS Alcides Escobar
with a pitch. ... Twins 2B Brian Dozier batted second for the 12th
time this season. He has batted first 85 times and fourth eight
times. CF Aaron Hicks moved into the leadoff spot for the second
time. He has mostly batted seventh (18 times), eighth (19) or ninth
(10). Minnesota had scored seven runs in five games entering
Wednesday. ... Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (left ACL surgery) threw
off a mound for the first time since being injured in spring
training. He is tentatively scheduled to start a rehab assignment on
Aug. 21. Although he was declared out for the season, Stroman said
he is trying for a September return. ... The Twins will start RHP
Kyle Gibson (8-8, 3.37 ERA) in the finale of the four-game series
Thursday against Blue Jays LHP Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.32)
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