For the second straight game, a Twins starter was blasted by the Blue Jays' offense. This time, it was right-hander Kyle Gibson, as he allowed eight runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings in Thursday's 9-3 loss. Gibson walked three and struck out four, needing 97 pitches to record 14 outs.
This was Gibson's shortest start since going 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the season back in early April. The eight earned runs match a career-high, which was set back in 2013.
Gibson (8-9, 3.78 ERA) gave up a single run in the first inning and then the wheels started to come off. He allowed three runs in the third, including a two-run home run by Edwin Encarnacion. The Blue Jays tacked on four more in the fifth, as they had Gibson against the ropes all night.
Gibson has now allowed five earned runs or more in three of his past four starts. He is 0-3 with a whopping 8.51 ERA over that stretch.