An eight-run eighth inning lifts the Blue Jays past the Twins 11-4

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kazuma Okamoto hit his third home run in two days, Brandon Valenzuela homered in an eight-run eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 11-4 Saturday afternoon.

Lenyn Sosa and Myles Straw also went deep for Toronto, which scored a season high in runs while winning for the sixth time in eight games, but saw George Springer leave with an injury.

Byron Buxton homered for the Twins for the third straight game and fifth in six outings, but the beleaguered Minnesota bullpen cost the team again.

Eight Blue Jays scored against Luis García (0-1) and Anthony Banda before an out was recorded in the eighth inning. Okamoto and Sosa had RBI singles, and Davis Schneider ended an 0-for-27 skid with a two-run double before Valenzuela’s three-run shot.

In the past six games, Twins relievers have allowed 20 runs in 20 1-3 innings.

Springer left the game in the third inning after being hit by a pitch on the left foot. The four-time All-Star came off the 10-day injured list Wednesday after fouling off a pitch and breaking his left big toe on April 11 in another game against the Twins.

Buxton hit Minnesota’s first leadoff home run of the season — and 21st of his career — with a fly ball that landed in the flower bed in the two-row right field overhang.

Sosa and Straw went deep in the second.

Trailing 4-2, Okamoto hit a 453-foot solo home run over the bullpens in the sixth against Justin Topa. According to Sportsnet Stats, his 16 RBIs since April 18 are tops in the majors.

In seven innings, Toronto’s Dylan Cease (2-1) allowed four runs — three earned — and struck out seven. In his third career start, Connor Prielipp allowed two runs on three hits for the Twins, striking out four in five innings.

Up next

RHP Trey Yesavage (1-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his second start of the season for Toronto in Sunday’s series finale. RHP Joe Ryan (2-3, 3.76 ERA) pitches for Minnesota.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Mike Cook, The Associated Press