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  Thursday, Jun. 1 12:35pm ET
Milton, Twins stop Blue Jays 5-1
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

TORONTO (AP) -- Eric Milton has had no trouble shaking off his worst start of the year.

Milton allowed five hits in eight innings, and Ron Coomer homered as the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Thursday.

The left-hander has won three straight starts and has allowed just two earned runs since getting shelled for nine in 2 1/3 innings on May 15.

Eric Milton
Eric Milton limited Toronto to five hits over eight innings while improving to 5-1.

"As hard as it is, you have to forget about games like that, and that's what I've been able to do," Milton said. "I've worked hard, and the last three starts have been great."

Milton (5-1) had a season-high nine strikeouts and walked none before being replaced by Bob Wells to start the ninth inning.

With the scored tied at 1 in the fifth, Jose Cruz Jr. led off with a triple, but Milton stranded him at third after Alex Gonzalez struck out, Chris Woodward popped up and Alberto Castillo grounded out.

"It's all about location," Milton said. "I'm on a roll."

Carlos Delgado hit his 19th homer, a solo shot off Milton in the seventh.

Delgado didn't give much credit to Milton.

"We should have done a little better," Delgado said. "I thought we were flat offensively."

Toronto manager Jim Fregosi says Milton is one of the top left-handers in the AL.

"He had great stuff, and he shut down our right-handed hitters," Fregosi said.

Coomer's eighth home run capped a three-run sixth inning for the Twins, who have won five of their last six games.

Jacque Jones, who went 3-for-4, hit an RBI triple off Toronto starter Frank Castillo (1-5) to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the third.

The Twins scored three runs in the sixth on Cristian Guzman's RBI double, Matt Lawton's run-scoring groundout and Coomer's solo homer.

Coomer added an RBI single in the eighth inning.

Game notes
Milton has allowed only two earned runs in his last 23 innings. ... Thursday was School day at SkyDome. Attendance was 30,444. More than 100 schools attended. ... The Twins took two of three from Toronto. ... Castillo allowed three runs and three hits in five-plus innings. .. After allowing a single to lead off the game, Milton retired 11 in a row. ... Delgado has 22 hits in his last 53 at-bats.
 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Minnesota Clubhouse

Toronto Clubhouse


RECAPS
Minnesota 5
Toronto 1

Kansas City 13
Boston 11

Tampa Bay 2
Baltimore 1

Chicago Cubs 5
Atlanta 3

Montreal 9
Cincinnati 7

Arizona 4
St. Louis 0

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Eric Milton and the Twins are feeling very confident.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6

 Eric Milton kept Shannon Stewart and the Jays off-balance all game.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6