Twins rough up Scherzer to take series from Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) — Tristan Gray hit a three-run home run, Kody Clemens added a solo shot and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 on Sunday.

Taj Bradley (3-0) allowed one run and five hits in five innings to win his third straight start as the Twins took two of three from Toronto, bouncing back after failing to hold a 4-0 lead in Friday's opener. Minnesota has won six of seven.

Bradley's ERA rose from 1.08 to 1.25. He walked four and struck out seven.

Gray homered in the second, his second, and Clemens connected in a five-run third, his second. Victor Caratini had a sacrifice fly and Brooks Lee added a two-run double as the Twins roughed up three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.

The Twins have homered in 26 consecutive games in Toronto, hitting 55 total homers in that span. Their most recent homerless game in Toronto was Aug. 25, 2017.

Scherzer (1-2) allowed eight runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings, his second straight losing start. He left his previous outing, last Monday against the Dodgers, after two innings because of forearm tendinitis.

The Blue Jays played without leadoff hitter George Springer, who went on the 10-day injured list before the game because of a fractured left big toe. Springer fouled a ball off his foot in Saturday’s 7-4 loss.

Ernie Clement took over in the leadoff spot. He went 3 for 5 and scored twice.

Eloy Jiménez was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Springer and started at designated hitter. Jiménez went 2 for 4.

Up next

Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (1-0, 5.27 ERA) is scheduled to start against Boston on Monday. LHP Garrett Crochet (2-1, 3.12) goes for the Red Sox.

Blue Jays: RHP Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.08 ERA) is scheduled to start at Milwaukee on Tuesday against Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski 1-1, 3.31).

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