Upton Jr.’s sensational sprint caps Blue Jays’ win

TORONTO — Melvin Upton Jr. served what looked like a soft single into right field, but it took him on a non-stop trip around the bases that lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to an 8-7 comeback win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre.

The win leaves the Blue Jays atop the American League East by a game over the Red Sox, after Boston defeated Kansas City later in the evening, and three games ahead of the Orioles, after Baltimore’s second consecutive loss to the Yankees.

With the Blue Jays down, 7-6, and Kevin Pillar aboard in the eighth inning, Upton hit a sinking liner that right-fielder Max Kepler missed on a dive. Kepler chased it almost to the warning track, where he accidentally kicked it away from center fielder Eddie Rosario as Upton circled the bases and scored standing up on what was ruled a triple and error.

“I saw [Kepler] dive initially and kind of knew it would be a triple once it got by him,” Upton said. “But rounding second base, I saw [third-base coach] Luis [Rivera] keep waving me, and I just kept going.”

“I was trying to adjust to everything around me,” Kepler said. “I wouldn’t say it was Eddie. I slipped. I made a mistake. I made two mistakes. I made three mistakes. I take the blame.”

Down 5-0 after Minnesota’s four-run fourth, Toronto scored twice in the sixth on Edwin Encarnacion’s homer and three times in the seventh to draw within a run.

Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman gave up five runs in six innings, and Twins starter Ervin Santana didn’t fare any better. He took a 5-1 lead into the seventh, but exited with two outs and was charged with six runs.

• Santana gives up season-high 6 runs as gem unravels

“[The Blue …

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