TORONTO (AP) — Cavan Biggio hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-6 Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep.
Biggio’s fifth homer of the season came off Emilio Pagán (3-1), who began the eighth by giving up singles to Alejandro Kirk and Santiago Espinal.
The 423-foot drive was the second-longest of Biggio’s career behind a 429-foot homer against Tampa Bay on July 27, 2019.
“I got it as good as I could,” Biggio said. “I kind of knew off the bat that was going to go.”
Matt Chapman added a two-run homer and had three RBIs for the Blue Jays, who are 8-3 in June.
Nate Pearson (4-0) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings, and Jordan Romano worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances, striking out Trevor Larnach to strand pinch runner Willi Castro at third base.
Donovan Solano hit a solo home run for the AL Central-leading Twins, who failed to hold a 6-1, fifth-inning lead.
“We didn’t get it done,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s disappointing when you have a lead and you can’t hold it.”
The Twins are 9-12 in series finales. This was the third time Minnesota lost when seeking a three-game sweep.
“The sweep, when you have it in your hand, is what you want,” Baldelli said, “Walking away without it is definitely disappointing.”
Royce Lewis had three hits for the Twins, extending his streak of consecutive base hits to seven before striking out against Pearson in the seventh. Lewis went 4 for 4 Friday.
Minnesota’s first six batters reached safely against Kevin Gausman, who gave up four runs and four hits in 36-pitch first inning. Alex Kirilloff hit an RBI double, two runs scored on Larnach’s single, and Lewis drove in a run with an infield hit.
Gausman allowed six runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. He’s 1-4 with a 6.35 ERA in 11 career games against the Twins.
“For whatever reason, my whole career has been a grind against them,” Gausman said.
Plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt left in the fourth after being struck on the left forearm by Daulton Varsho’s foul tip. First base umpire Brian Waslh moved behind the plate and Ryan Blakney went from second to first.
Before the inning ended, Toronto’s Nathan Lukes lost control of his bat and the barrel struck Twins catcher Christian Vázquez, hitting him around the collarbone. Vázquez was shaken but remained in the game.
Varsho hit Walsh in the left shoulder with a foul tip in the seventh, but Walsh was able to continue.
Solano homered and Lewis singled home a run in the fifth as the Twins expanded their lead to five runs, but Chapman’s ninth homer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s RBI grounder cut the margin to 6-4.
Minnesota put runners at second and third with two out in the sixth but the inning ended when Walsh called a pitch clock violation against Kirilloff with two strikes, saying he wasn’t alert to the pitcher with eight seconds left on the clock.
“I think it’s a bold call,” Baldelli said. “I can’t agree with that, and I think the Blue Jays are walking off the field thinking they got away with something.”
Twins starter Louie Varland allowed four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: 1B/DH Brandon Belt did not play after leaving Saturday’s game because of a sore left hamstring. … OF Kevin Kiermaier (sore left wrist) didn’t start for the third straight game but came on as a pinch runner in the eighth.
ROSTER MOVES
Toronto optioned RHP Bowden Francis to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled RHP Thomas Hatch from Triple-A.
SUDS SUPERSTITION
Gausman said he was watching from the trainer’s room during Toronto’s big comeback.
“Superstition kicks in so whatever you’re doing, you keep doing it,” he said.
So, what was Gausman doing?
“I did have a beer,” he acknowledged. “It was kind of some nervous sips, but we kept it going, so I had to open another one. It’s rally beers, and sometimes that has to happen.”
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Pablo López (3-3, 4.25) starts Tuesday as the Twins return home to begin a two-game series against Milwaukee. RHP Corbin Burnes (5-4, 3.36) starts for the Brewers.
Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (7-4, 3.29) starts Tuesday as Toronto begins a three-game series at Baltimore.
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NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
