Jose Bautista Homers Twice for 54 as Blue Jays Pound Liriano, Twins

by FanHouse Newswire

Filed under: Blue Jays

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Jose Bautista hit home runs No. 53 and 54, including a grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays went deep six times in a 13-2 victory over the stumbling Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Edwin Encarnacion hit two homers and Jose Molina and Travis Snider added long balls for the big-swinging Blue Jays, who have hit 253 homers this season, the fourth-highest total in baseball history.

Bautista's second homer went to right field, his first this season that didn't go to either left or left-center.

Francisco Liriano (14-10) gave up five runs and six hits, including three of those homers, with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in his final start before the playoffs. The left-hander is scheduled to start Game 1 of the ALDS on Wednesday at Target Field.

The AL Central champions have lost six of their last seven games and missed a chance to tie the Rays and Yankees for the best record in the American League.

 

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