Upton Jr. hit an RBI triple past a diving outfielder and continued home on a misplay, completing Toronto’s rally from a five-run deficit and sending the AL East-leading Blue Jays over the Minnesota Twins 8-7 Saturday. When the former Faith Academy and Auburn standout clouted his third home run of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays fans showered the field at the Rogers Centre with caps to celebrate Donaldson’s “hat trick”. He gave up three runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings. Troy Tulowitzki also went deep and Scott Feldman picked up the win. They did most of their damage late, scoring two runs in the sixth on an Edwin Encarnacion home run and three more in the seventh, when Josh Donaldson and Encarnacion drove in runs with back-to-back singles. Encarnacion hit his 36th homer and leads the AL with 105 RBIs. He struck out five.
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Dozier scored in the first inning on a wild pitch by Stroman, generating the run basically on his own.
Showing that he still has speed to burn at age 32, Upton took advantage of a couple of misplays by Twins’ right-fielder Max Kepler.
BRIEFS: The San Francisco Giants have placed right-hander Jake Peavy on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain.
PHILLIES 5, METS 1: A.J. Ellis got a big hit in his Philadelphia debut, breaking a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double that sent the Phillies to victory at NY. Knowing that a single would allow Toronto to tie the game, Kepler dove for the ball, only to see it bounce past him all the way to the right field wall.
Twins: 1B Joe Mauer (quadriceps) missed his third straight game.
OUT OF ORDER? With second baseman Devon Travis back in the lineup after five days off with soreness in the second knuckle of his right hand, manager John Gibbons protected him by having him bat eighth on Saturday.
Toronto’s team earned-run average during the seventh inning or later is a boosted 4.18 compared to their overall ERA of 3.79 this season. Pressly relieved with the bases loaded and gave up a two-run single to Josh Donaldson. Rosario scored when Dickey got the out at first on Kepler’s high chop. Encarnacion followed with an RBI single off the glove of Plouffe at third. Miguel Sano hit an RBI single, Eduardo Escobar hit an RBI double and Dozier stroked a two-run double.
Although the Toronto Blue Jays (73-56) are having another stellar season, they haven’t excelled in claiming wins during the ladder portions of them.
The Jays trailed 7-6 in the eighth when Kevin Pillar doubled with one out.
WASHINGTON – Charlie Blackmon hit two home runs, including the go-ahead shot in the 11th inning, and Colorado beat Washington to snap a four-game losing streak. Navarro is not having the greatest year (.210 with six home runs in 85 games) but Thole has struggled even more (.164, 1 HR, 7 RBIs) as R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher.Navarro is expected to be activated on Monday.
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NOTES: Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez, who was optioned to Class A Dunedin to control his innings, will rejoin the Blue Jays on Wednesday and will start the third game of the series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Santiago has not pitched since August 20 because of a sore left thumb.
