Three things: José Berríos and Blue Jays bats too much for the Twins

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Three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 12-3 win over the Twins at Rogers Center on Saturday:

Berr-illiant

Coming off an awful start in Anaheim last weekend and amid concerns about a diminishing ability to miss bats, José Berríos delivered his best start of the season Saturday against his old team, dazzling the Twins over seven phenomenal innings.

It didn’t start great, with Jorge Polanco blasting a two-run homer in the first inning, but the right-hander only allowed one hit the rest of the way while striking out a career-high 13, including Mark Contreras and Trevor Larnach three times each. Berríos had been averaging 3.6 strikeouts per start for the season.

Berríos got 19 swings-and-misses in the game, eight each on his curveball and two-seamer and three on the changeup.

contagious

The Jays mashed 16 hits in scoring a season-high 12 runs, with contributions coming from up and down the lineup.

Every Jays starter had at least one hit, save for Matt Chapman, who walked, was hit by a pitch and scored two runs. Each starter either drove in a run or scored one (or both) and five hitters reached base safely at least three times, with No. 8 hitter Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and No. 9 Cavan Biggio reaching four times each. Gurriel had three singles and a walk; Biggio walked twice, singled and doubled. Each of them scored eleven and drove in two runs.

Teoscar Hernandez also had a three-hit day, with a triple to go with his two singles. Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk hit homers.

Bringing them home

Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two of the Jays' three homers Saturday as they scored a season-high 12 runs against Minnesota.

The Jays went 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position, including two-out RBI hits from Biggio and George Springer in the three-run second inning that put them in the lead for good.

The no-longer-slumping Jays are batting .324 as a team with runners in scoring position over their past 10 games, nine of which have been wins.

Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness

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