TORONTO – Melvin Upton Jr. hit the game-tying triple in the eighth inning and then scored the go-ahead run on an error as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to an 8-7 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon.
Kevin Pillar got on base in the inning with a double down the third-base line before Upton came to the plate with the Blue Jays trailing 7-6.
Upton’s hit bounced past Twins right-fielder Max Kepler, bringing Blue Jays fans to their feet as Pillar scored. Kepler and Minnesota centre-fielder Eddie Rosario couldn’t even get the ball out of right field before Upton crossed home.
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Edwin Encarnacion had a two-run homer in the sixth inning and an added another run batted in with a single in the seventh as Toronto (73-56) mounted its comeback. Michael Saunders had gotten the ball rolling an inning before with an RBI double. Josh Donaldson also added two RBIs with a single in the seventh.
Marcus Stroman gave up five runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings for the Blue Jays, but struck out five. Bo Schultz, who had been called up from triple-A Buffalo earlier in the day, gave up two runs in an inning of relief.
Jason Grilli (5-3) and Roberto Osuna each worked a scoreless inning of relief, with Grilli earning the win and Osuna getting the save.