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Twins' Gibson dominates Jays in DH opener

Apr 17, 2014 - 8:42 PM Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Gibson hurled eight scoreless innings to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 7-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader.

Gibson (3-0) fanned four while allowing four hits and one walk. Anthony Swarzak sat down the side in order in the ninth to put the game away.

Trevor Plouffe and Josmil Pinto drove in a pair of runs apiece for the Twins, who have won four of five. Chris Colabello had two hits and an RBI and Jason Kubel and Kurt Suzuki chipped in an RBI apiece.

Colby Rasmus and Josh Thole picked up two hits each to provide all the offense for the Jays. Toronto starter R.A. Dickey (1-3) was knocked around for five runs on seven hits through 4 1/3 frames, striking out four and walking five.

After 4 1/2 scoreless frames, Minnesota broke through in the fifth. Three consecutive singles from Brian Dozier, Joe Mauer and Plouffe brought in the first run and were preceded by a walk by Colabello to load the bases.

Kubel singled home Mauer before Pinto smashed a double off the center field wall, scoring Plouffe and Colabello. Suzuki then hit a sacrifice fly to center, bringing Kubel across and giving the Twins a 5-0 lead.

Todd Redmond, who replaced Dickey in the fifth, inherited two runners and allowed the sacrifice fly by Suzuki. He surrendered two unearned runs through 3 2/3 innings of relief.

Minnesota struck again with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pedro Florimon reached base on error before a single to right by Mauer sent him to third. Plouffe then hit a sacrifice fly to plate Florimon before Colabello doubled in Mauer with two outs to round out the scoring.

Game Notes

Toronto went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, while the Twins went 3- for-11 with RISP ... Minnesota left eight men on base, compared to four by the Jays.