Blue Jays late comeback falls just short as Twins even up series

MINNEAPOLIS–Jose Berrios has made no secret about the fact that he enjoys pitching against the Minnesota Twins.

Going against the ball club he called home for the first six seasons of his career comes with some added motivation and he has done well to channel that thus far this season. 

In his only other start against the Twins back on June 4th, he collected a career high 13 Ks for the first time - a feat which he has accomplished again since against the Phillies.

Friday night’s start at Target field seemed to be heading in the same direction as Berrios looked like he was on cruise-control, before a fourth inning that completely derailed him. Jose Miranda scored Carlos Correa with a base hit leaving two on before Nick Gordon cleared the bases with a moon-shot to deep right field. 

The Twins quickly began running away with it holding a 5-0 lead as Berrios’s night was cut very short going just 3 2/3 surrendering five runs on six hits while grabbing just a single strikeout.

“The last month, I've been pitching well. Today, I came to a ballpark and I felt healthy and strong. But that's one of those nights I couldn't make my pitches,” Berrios said. “I’ll keep on track, try to get that consistency. Obviously, tonight I didn't throw well. But I'm going to turn the page. I know I've been throwing the ball pretty well lately. So, I want to get back to that.”

But the Blue Jays offence wasn’t ready to bow out just yet. 

Matt Chapman continued his run of form as one of baseball’s best hitters through recent weeks, hammering one over the wall in centre for his sixth home run in his last 15 games.

Santiago Espinal understood the message and followed suit with his seventh of the year shortly thereafter. Down by three now just a few batters later, Vladimir Gurrero stepped up to the dish and absolutely tattooed one to straightaway centre field for his second in as many games. The two-run jack was good enough to pull the Jays within one with plenty of baseball remaining. .

The Jays were unable to cash the equalizer in the following inning with the last ditch effort coming with two down in the top of the ninth. Another hot hitter in the form of Raimel Tapia delivered a base hit to centre field, scoring Bo Bichette to even things up. 

This one would go to the bottom of the tenth still knotted up before Tim Beckham would slap one on the ground to Matt Chapman whose throw was just offline allowing Nick Gordon to score and walk it off for the Twins 6-5. 

The comeback would just fall short as Minnesota would even up the four-game split at a game apiece. Despite the loss, the newly bolstered bullpen was put to its first true test on Friday as skipper John Schneider was forced to dip into it just halfway through the fourth inning. 

Prior to Romano coming in to collect the loss, the pen hand delivered 5 1/3 innings of scoreless work allowing the Jays to get back in it. 

The Blue Jays and Twins will go at it again for game three on Saturday as Dylan Bundy will get the start for the Twins against Toronto’s newest addition to the rotation Mitch White. White was grabbed at the deadline from the Dodgers and has had himself quite a solid season posting a 3.70 ERA through 56 innings pitched.