Minnesota Twins Mike Pelfrey pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto, July 6, 2013.MARK BLINCH/Reuters
Second baseman Brian Dozier drove in four runs and right-hander Mike Pelfrey pitched six shutout innings as the Minnesota Twins snapped a six-game losing streak on Saturday with a 6-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dozier was 2-for-4 and hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning as the Twins won at Rogers Centre for the first time since April 3, 2011. They had lost eight of nine games in Toronto dating back to July 7, 2010.
Pelfrey (4-6) held the Blue Jays to three hits and three walks in six innings in his first outing since June 18 because of a back strain that put him on the disabled list.
Blue Jays' right-hander R.A. Dickey (8-9) allowed seven hits, two walks and six runs in seven innings after winning his two previous starts.
Dickey also hit a batter in the sixth inning, left-fielder Oswaldo Arcia, who suffered a bruised hand and left the game for Clete Thomas in the seventh.
The Blue Jays did not score in the first inning, despite having Jose Reyes reach first base on an error and three other hitters taking bases on balls.
Reyes was picked off first base and Rajai Davis grounded out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Twins scored three runs in the third. Chris Parmelee led off with a double and took third on Aaron Hicks' single. Parmelee was out between third and home in a rundown on Eduardo Escobar's comebacker to Dickey. Dozier's groundout to second scored one run, Jamey Carroll's double bit the left-field line to score a run and Joe Mauer's single made the score 3-0.
Parmelee led off the seventh with a ground-rule double to left centre and Hicks walked. Escobar forced Parmelee at third and Dozier followed with his eighth homer of the season to put the Twins into a 6-0 lead.
Left-hander Caleb Thielbar, right-hander Jared Burton and left-hander Glen Perkins each pitched an inning for the Twins.
Left-handers Darren Oliver and Juan Perez each pitched an inning for the Blue Jays.
Notes: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 37,034. ...Blue Jays RHP Kyle Drabek (elbow surgery) was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list on Friday and assigned on option to single-A Dunedin, where he has pitched three games (0-1, 10.13 earned-run average) on his medical rehabilitation assignment. ...3B Brett Lawrie (left ankle sprain) of Langley, B.C., was 0-for-6 after two games with single-A Lansing on his rehabilitation assignment. ...Davis snapped a 0-for-17 slump with a single in the fourth. ...The Blue Jays signed RHP Clinton Hollon, a second-round draft selection (47th overall). The club has signed 23 players from the draft. ...RHP Todd Redmond (0-1, 3.52 ERA) will start Sunday's series finale for Toronto against Guelph, Ont., native LHP Scott Diamond (5-7, 5.18 ERA).