Price dominant in Toronto debut as Blue Jays beat Twins 5-1
TORONTO -- Minnesota's scuffling offense ran into a familiar foe with to a familiar result.
David Price struck out 11 over eight innings to win his Blue Jays debut, Josh Donaldson hit a tiebreaking home run and Toronto beat the Twins 5-1 in the opener of a four-game series between AL wild-card contenders.
Price is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in four starts against Minnesota this season.
"He's been tough on the Twins this year," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Minnesota has scored just six runs over its past four games, losing three of them. Half those runs came in Saturday's 3-2 win over Seattle.
Still, outfielder Torii Hunter isn't too worried.
"We'll be all right," Hunter said. "Just keep telling yourself `David Price.'"
If Minnesota meets Price again this year, it'll be in a playoff game.
Hunter, who played with Price in Detroit, called the lefty "a bulldog."
"He's always bearing down," Hunter said. "Once he settled in, he's David Price."
Acquired from Detroit Thursday for a trio of minor league left-handers, Price received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 45,766 as he walked in from the bullpen before the game.
"That was the best atmosphere I've ever been in," Price said. "I've never experienced anything like that."
Price (10-4) allowed one run and three hits. He threw 119 pitches, two shy of his season high. His 11 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in his Blue Jays debut. Roger Clemens struck out nine White Sox on April 2, 1997.
"There's guys that kind of separate themselves," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "David's at the top. He's one of those guys. That's what they do."
NBA All-Star Kevin Durant was among those on hand to watch Price work on a sunny afternoon.
"That's probably the coolest thing I've had happen to me, fan-wise," Price said.
The lefty retired the last 15 batters he faced. He tipped his cap as he walked to the dugout after the eighth.
"He pitched like an ace today," Minnesota starter Ervin Santana said.
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, another of Toronto's deadline additions, singled off Santana (2-2) to begin the fifth and scored on Donaldson's 27th homer, an opposite field drive to right.
Price struck out the first two batters and set down four straight before Torii Hunter homered in the second. It was the 12th home run surrendered by Price in 10 career starts at Rogers Centre, where he's 8-0.
Ryan Goins tied it in the bottom half with a solo homer off Santana.
Minnesota loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, but Price got Eddie Rosario to pop out, caught Aaron Hicks looking and struck out Kurt Suzuki on a 97 mph fastball to end the threat.
"We didn't get much going after that," Molitor said. "It was kind of tough."
LaTroy Hawkins finished in the ninth as the Blue Jays (55-52) closed to within percentage points of the Twins (54-51). Minnesota has played two fewer games.
Santana lost his second straight start, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.
Edwin Encarnacion and Justin Smoak made it 5-1 with RBI singles off Blaine Boyer in the seventh.
ROUGH ROAD
Minnesota has lost five of its past six away from home. They're 20-29 on the road this season.
BRINGING BACK MEMORIES
Molitor, the World Series MVP for Toronto in 1993, was pleased to see his old home full of fans. "I've seen that atmosphere here before," he said. "It was nice to see. The Toronto fans have had to wait for a long time."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RHP Tyler Duffey was selected from Triple-A Rochester to start Wednesday in place of LHP Tommy MIlone (elbow).
