Toronto, ON - Dustin McGowan twirled 7 1/3 scoreless innings and Vernon Wells drove in four runs, as the Toronto Blue Jays downed the Minnesota Twins, 7-0, in game two of a three-game series at Rogers Centre.
John McDonald added two RBI for the Blue Jays, who have won four in a row — three of them by way of shutout. The four straight wins matches a season-best.
McGowan (7-5) scattered just four hits while striking out five and walking three. This is the first time he has posted back-to-back wins since early June.
Scott Baker (4-4) yielded four runs on six hits over seven frames for Minnesota, which has lost six of eight.
Toronto scored in the third to assume a 1-0 lead. Aaron Hill led off with a double, moved to third on Gregg Zaun’s base hit, then scored on McDonald’a bunt.
Wells cracked a two-run homer in the fourth to increase the advantage to 3-0. After Troy Glaus’ leadoff single, Wells stepped in and launched Baker’s offering over the wall in left for his 14th home run of the year.
In the top-half of the fourth it appeared Torii Hunter was going to score following Rondell White’s double, when a throw in from the outfield missed the cut-off man. Lyle Overbay made a nice play to track the ball down and flip it home, however, nabbing Hunter to keep the shutout intact.
That allowed the Blue Jays to go ahead by four in the seventh thanks to doubles from Hill and McDonald.
Wells put the game away in the eighth with a two-run double, then scored on Frank Thomas’ base hit in the next sequence.
Brandon League worked around a leadoff double in the ninth to keep the Twins off the board.
Game Notes
Baker was unbeaten in his last three starts coming in, going 2-0 with a no- decision while allowing 24 hits and 12 runs in 17 1/3 innings…Minnesota stranded seven runners…Attendance was 30,669.
