Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer, while Bailey Ober struck out 10 batters over 6 1/3 innings without allowing any runs. The Minnesota Twins won their 17th game out of the last 20, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Sunday.
This marks the first time since September 2010 that the Twins have won six consecutive series. The Twins struggled at the beginning of the season, losing 13 out of their first 20 games. However, they turned things around with a 12-game winning streak.
Ober expressed his excitement about the team’s recent success, saying, “Seventeen out of 20 is pretty cool to hear, especially where we started at. I think everyone is just taking it day by day and excited to show up and go out there and play.”
Santana hit his third consecutive home run during their games in Toronto, extending the Twins’ streak of hitting at least one home run in 20 consecutive games played there.
Previously, the Twins had a streak of hitting home runs in 21 straight games at Kansas City between July 30, 1998, and August 25, 2001. Santana also hit home runs in three consecutive games from April 25-27.
Max Kepler contributed with a two-run double, extending his record-hitting streak to 14 games. The game remained scoreless until the seventh inning, when Kepler reached base due to an error by third baseman Ernie Clement.
This was followed by a single from Willi Castro and a fielder’s choice by Alex Kirilloff. Santana then hit his seventh home run of the season on a 2-0 pitch from Blue Jays’ pitcher Alek Manoah.
Santana commented on his home run, saying, “He was behind in the count, he tried to make an out and he threw a changeup, and I got a good swing.” This was Santana’s second home run in 10 career at-bats against Manoah.
