Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran celebrates after forcing the final out to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Aug. 30, 2024, in Minneapolis.Abbie Parr/The Associated Press
Pablo Lopez pitched 7⅔ shutout innings and Jhoan Duran rebounded from a rough outing to record the save as the Minnesota Twins snapped a four-game skid and beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Friday night.
Lopez (13-8) allowed six hits and struck out three without a walk. The 28-year-old right-hander extended his career-best scoreless streak to 20⅔ innings and won for the fourth time in five decisions.
Though his strikeout total was one of his lowest of the season, Lopez got 14 outs via the ground ball, which he said was part of his game plan.
“We knew going into the game, there are some guys that refuse to strike out a lot. But if you make good, quality pitches you might have an opportunity to finish the at-bat quickly,” Lopez said. “It just needs to be quality.”
Lopez got the first two outs of the eight before Nathan Lukes singled his 100th pitch of the game. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli visited the mound but left his starter in to face ninth-place hitter Leo Jimenez. When Jimenez reached on an infield single, Griffin Jax came on to strike out Daulton Varsho on three pitches, ending the inning.
“I wanted to give him an opportunity to finish the inning,” Twins manager Rocco Baldellil said. “But once there were runners on first and second with two outs, you know ... we have good relievers and sometimes, there’s a marginal gap in your mind as far as what’s going to work best. And I just wanted to get Griff in there to shut it down and he did his job great.”
Duran, who gave up four runs in the 10th inning of Wednesday’s 8-6 loss to Atlanta, pitched around a leadoff single by Will Wagner for his 19th save in 21 chances.
Kevin Gausman (12-10) had won six of his last seven decisions, but gave up two runs on four hits while walking four in 5⅔ innings in the loss. The loss dropped him to 1-5 with a 6.61 ERA all-time against the Twins.
“They’ve always kind of been my kryptonite, especially the last couple of years,” Gausman said. “For whatever reason, their lineup always kinda gives me trouble. Tonight I thought we pitched really well, but four walks and still sitting here with a loss so, not great. But I guess it’s a step in the right direction against them.”
The Twins didn’t get their first hit until the fourth inning, when Matt Wallner looped a single just over a leaping second baseman Will Wagner into short centre field.
Meanwhile, the Jays’ first baserunner came when Spencer Horwitz lined a soft single to right leading off the fifth. Addison Barger followed with an infield single, but Lopez retired the next three hitters to keep the game scoreless.
“You don’t get many shots against him,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “He’s been pretty good against is, it feels like for awhile. But yeah, any time you get a couple guys on you’ve got to cash one in there.”
Minnesota finally broke through in the fifth when Jose Miranda led off with a double to right-centre and scored on Carlos Santana’s single to right. After a walk and a sacrifice bunt, Willi Castro made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left, scoring Santana.
Trainer’s room
Blue Jays: OF Joey Loperfido, who got the night off, cleared the concussion protocol after he collided with the Green Monster while making a catch on Thursday night in Boston.
Up next
RHP Jose Berrios (13-9, 3.72 ERA) will face his former team for the sixth time in his career when the Blue Jays and Twins meet for the second game of the series Saturday night. Berrios is 3-1 with a 4.03 ERA against the Twins, for whom he pitched from 2016-21. Minnesota will counter with RHP Zebby Matthews (1-1, 3.00), who is making his fourth major league start.