MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins rallied for six runs in the eighth inning, with the first three coming on wild pitches, to shock the Blue Jays with a 9-5 win to sweep Thursday's doubleheader at Target Field.
The Twins entered the eighth down by two runs, but right-hander Steve Delabar struggled with his control, issuing walks to Josmil Pinto and Chris Herrmann to open the inning before Eduardo Nunez moved up both runners with a sacrifice bunt.
Blue Jays closer Sergio Santos came in, but he also had trouble finding the strike zone, as he walked pinch-hitter Trevor Plouffe to load the bases with one out. Pinch-hitter Kurt Suzuki came to the plate, and Santos uncorked two run-scoring wild pitches to allow the Twins to tie the game.
 
Twins use wild rally in six-run eighth to beat Blue Jays
 
Santos then threw a third wild pitch on his sixth offering to Brian Dozier, which allowed the go-ahead run to score and Dozier to reach via the fifth walk of the inning.
Left-hander J.A. Happ came in and promptly walked Joe Mauer to load the bases before issuing a run-scoring free pass to Chris Colabello for the seventh walk of the inning. Jason Kubel then laced a two-run single to give the Twins a four-run cushion.
It was unlikely win for the Twins, who saw right-hander Mike Pelfrey turn in his third straight subpar start after right-hander Kyle Gibson tossed eight scoreless innings to lead Minnesota to a 7-0 win in Game 1.
Pelfrey struggled with his command from the start, walking two of the first three batters he faced. Both walks led to runs, as the Blue Jays received an RBI single from Edwin Encarnacion and a sacrifice fly from Dioner Navarro.
He settled down until running into more trouble in the fifth. He served a solo homer to Jose Bautista with one out to give Bautista his American League-leading sixth homer of the season. It was also Bautista's 11th career homer at Target Field, which is the most for any opponent.
After the homer, Pelfrey walked Encarnacion before giving up a single to Navarro that knocked him from the game, with right-hander Samuel Deduno taking over on the mound. Deduno got Brett Lawrie to hit a shallow fly ball to right field but Herrmann couldn't handle it, despite a sliding attempt, to bring home a run.
Anthony Gose followed with a walk to load the bases before Ryan Goins hit a dribbler back to Deduno, who flubbed it and couldn't get the out at home as another run scored. The unearned run was charged to Pelfrey, who gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits and five walks. Pelfrey now has a 7.98 ERA on the year, and has walked 12 batters in 14 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Dustin McGowan also struggled for the Blue Jays, giving up three runs on six hits and four walks over four-plus innings.
The Twins scored in a hurry against McGowan with Dozier launching a shot to lead off the first inning. It was Dozier's team-leading fifth homer of the year.
Minnesota didn't score again until the fifth, when Dozier singled and Mauer walked to set the stage for a two-run double down the left-field line from Colabello that forced McGowan from the game.
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
 

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