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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
TORONTO (AP) -- David Wells' post All-Star slump might be over.
Wells became the majors' first 18-game winner as the Toronto
Blue Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-3 Sunday.
|  | | David Wells notched his major league-leading 18th victory Sunday, which also equaled his career high for wins. |
"This was nice to have, especially after three or four bad
outings in a row," Wells said.
Wells (18-5) equaled his career high in wins, previously done in
1998 with the New York Yankees. The 18 wins are the most by a Blue
Jays left-hander.
Despite the win, the 37-year-old Wells is 3-3 with a 6.40 ERA in
eight outings since starting the All-Star game.
"It was an important win for us, and for him," Toronto manager
Jim Fregosi said.
The Blue Jays began the day four games back of the Boston Red
Sox and Oakland Athletics in the AL wild-card race.
Wells allowed three runs on nine hits for his AL-leading seventh
complete game of the season. He walked none and struck out seven.
"This was vintage David Wells," Fregosi said. "He gave up a
couple of runs early, but then he came back and pitched really
well."
Wells has 11 walk-free games this season, and has issued just 28
bases on balls.
Down 3-1 in the seventh, the Blue Jays rallied with three runs.
After Minnesota starter Eric Milton issued lead-off walks to
Craig Grebeck and Alberto Castillo, Hector Carrasco (3-3) relieved
and Shannon Stewart followed with an RBI single. Alex Gonzalez
followed with a sacrifice bunt, advancing Castillo and Stewart into
scoring position.
Catcher Danny Ardoin's passed ball tied it, and Jose Cruz's RBI
single past a drawn-in infield gave Toronto a 4-3 lead.
"Once he got the lead, Wells became unhittable," Minnesota's
Denny Hocking said.
Milton gave up three runs on six hits in six-plus innings.
The Blue Jays added two runs in the eighth on Todd Greene's solo
homer, and Stewart's RBI grounder.
Minnesota took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Matt
Lawton and David Ortiz.
"I just made some flat pitches in the first inning and they
were all over it," Wells said. "I didn't look too good for a
while, but I settled down."
The Twins made it 3-0 when Ortiz grounded into a double play in
the third.
Toronto got a run back in the fifth when Gonzalez singled in
Greene.
Game notes
Cruz batted in the third spot for just the sixth time this
season. ... The attendance was 32,627. ... Milton, who got a
no-decision, hasn't lost since July 19. ... Milton has pitched at
least six innings in 20 of his 27 starts. He had given up 13 runs
in his previous two starts. ... Left-hander Jimmy Key won 17 games
for Toronto in 1987 and Wells matched it last season.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 12
Seattle 4
Oakland 5
Detroit 4
Anaheim 5
NY Yankees 4
Toronto 6
Minnesota 3
Baltimore 2
Kansas City 1
Tampa Bay 12
Chi. White Sox 11
Texas 6
Boston 2
Pittsburgh 7
Cincinnati 3
Philadelphia 6
St. Louis 0
Colorado 13
Florida 4
Milwaukee 6
Houston 5
Atlanta 8
San Francisco 5
NY Mets 9
Los Angeles 6
Arizona 5
Chicago Cubs 4
San Diego 5
Montreal 4
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