TORONTO — A pregame pep talk from Jose Bautista helped Kevin Pillar deliver the decisive hit for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Pillar singled home the winning run in the ninth and the Blue Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Monday night.
Pillar, who wasn't in the starting lineup, was taking swings in the indoor cage shortly before the game when Bautista offered some encouragement.
"He just said, 'Prepare yourself throughout the game, and when you get a chance, go out there and be aggressive,'" Pillar said. "'Have good at-bats and put yourself in a situation to help the team win.'"
Pillar put those words to use when he came up with runners on first and second against Casey Fien in the ninth. After falling behind 0-2, Pillar took a ball, then lifted a single into shallow right field to score pinch-runner Erik Kratz.
"It was a slider off the plate and I was just able to nestle it in somewhere," Pillar said. "And it feels good."
The Jays squandered a two-run lead in the top of the ninth and then recovered to avoid their first three-game skid since May 9-11. Toronto was blanked in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday by the St. Louis Cardinals.
"The last two games have been kind of tough for us," shortstop Jose Reyes said. "We're just happy to get this win."
Newly signed slugger Kendrys Morales made his Twins debut, batting sixth and starting as the designated hitter. He went 1 for 3 with a single and a walk.