Twins sweeps three-game series against Blue Jays

Jorge Polanco matched his career best with five hits, including a two-run home run, and Kyle Gibson set a career high with 11 strikeouts as the visiting Minnesota Twins defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 Wednesday night. C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop and Eddie Rosario also hit two-run homers for the Twins, who swept the three-game series after losing three of four to the Blue Jays at Minnesota April 15-18.

Cron had four hits and Rosario had three RBIs for the Twins, who collected 18 hits, one short of their season best. The Blue Jays had two hits. Gibson (3-1) held the Blue Jays to two hits, one walk and one run on a home run over six innings.

Toronto starter Trent Thornton (0-4) allowed seven hits that included two home runs, two walks and five runs in two-plus innings as he is still looking for his first career major league win. The Twins outscored the Blue Jays 20-1 over the three games.

The Twins scored once in the first on singles by Max Kepler and Polanco and a sacrifice fly by Rosario. Kepler walked and Polanco hit his seventh homer of the season as Minnesota took a 3-0 lead in the second.

Rosario singled to lead off the third and Cron hit his seventh home run of the season to stretch the lead to 5-0. Sam Gaviglio replaced Thornton and allowed a single to Marwin Gonzalez and the sixth homer this season by Schoop. The Blue Jays stopped a streak of 24 innings without scoring a run and ended Gibson's no-hitter when McKinney hit his second home run of the season with one out in the fifth.

Minnesota led 9-1 in the sixth when Polanco doubled against reliever Elvis Luciano and Rosario hit his 13th homer of the season. Polanco singled in the seventh against Tim Mayza for his fifth hit to match his career best set April 5 against the Phillies in Philadelphia. He was replaced by pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza, who also took over for him at shortstop. Ryne Harper replaced Gibson to pitch a perfect bottom of the seventh. Mike Morin came in for the eighth for the Twins and also pitched a perfect inning.

The Twins loaded the bases with two singles and a walk in the ninth against Thomas Pannone but failed to add to their run total. Minnesota's Blake Parker pitched around a walk in the bottom of the ninth.

(With inputs from agencies.)