Byron Buxton is heating up at the perfect time. The Twins' dynamic center fielder launched his third home run in just four games, powering Minnesota to a much-needed 7-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night. For a team that's been searching for consistency, Buxton's bat is providing a spark that could turn their season around.
The game started quietly until the fourth inning, when Toronto's Daulton Varsho took Bailey Ober deep to put the Blue Jays on the board first. But the lead didn't last long. In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Jeffers answered with a go-ahead, two-run blast off Kevin Gausman, giving the Twins a 2-1 lead they would never surrender. It's the kind of back-and-forth that makes baseball thrilling—and it's exactly what fans want to see as they gear up for summer.
Buxton made sure the momentum stayed with Minnesota. In the sixth inning, he crushed his team-leading eighth homer of the season, finishing the night 3-for-4 with his third three-hit game of the year. Austin Martin added an RBI single later in the same frame, and the Twins never looked back. For a player who's battled injuries in the past, Buxton's hot streak is a welcome sign for a club that's won just two of its last nine games—and three of its last 14.
On the mound, Ober was sharp, allowing just four hits over six-plus innings. The bullpen—which entered the game with a 5.30 ERA, fourth-worst in the majors—stepped up in a big way. Anthony Banda, Andrew Morris, and Justin Topa combined for two-hit relief, giving the Twins a much-needed lift from the pen.
Gausman, meanwhile, struggled for Toronto. He allowed four runs on four hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings, with the four earned runs marking a season high. The Blue Jays' defense didn't help, as throwing errors by third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and shortstop Andrés Giménez led to two unearned runs in a three-run eighth inning that put the game out of reach.
Looking ahead, the series continues Friday with Toronto lefty Patrick Corbin (0-0, 3.72 ERA) facing Minnesota right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (0-4, 6.30). For Twins fans, the hope is that Buxton's power surge and a bullpen that finally found its groove can carry over into another win.