MINNEAPOLIS -- Ken Giles appeared to be on the verge of coughing up his second consecutive save opportunity until Teoscar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis came to his aid in the best way possible.

Hernandez and Galvis combined to execute a perfect relay throw from the left-field corner, nabbing the potential tying run at the plate. The fact that it came on the final play of the game made it even more dramatic, as it helped secure the Blue Jays’ 6-5 victory over the Twins on Tuesday night at Target Field.

Giles gave up a leadoff home run, walked a batter and surrendered a double to Byron Buxton to left field in the ninth. Hernandez retrieved the ball in the corner, threw a strike to Galvis, who then turned and fired home to get C.J. Cron by at least a foot for the final out. It was the type of play the Blue Jays practice almost every day in Spring Training, and it finally paid off.

“It was a perfect relay,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “Of course, everybody is thinking about Galvis making that throw, but to me, the big one was Teoscar getting that ball quick and making a perfect throw to Galvis. When Galvis throws the ball, everybody expects it to be right there. But to me, the main guy was Teoscar, getting to that ball quick and making a great throw to Galvis.”

Giles had not pitched since Saturday vs. the Rays and he was unavailable for a save opportunity on Monday night in Minnesota because he was sick. The Blue Jays didn’t know whether he would be available until approximately two hours before first pitch when he had a light game of catch on the field and then threw a 13-pitch bullpen session.

Toronto’s coaching staff gave Giles the green light to pitch later that night, but he clearly wasn’t himself. Marwin Gonzalez led off the bottom of the ninth with a no-doubt home run to right-center field, which cut the Blue Jays' lead to one. Pinch-hitter Nelson Cruz then walked on five pitches and Giles fell behind Cron as well, before getting him to ground into a fielder’s choice.

Giles’ command was clearly off, but he had just enough to get Mitch Garver swinging for the second out. In the following at-bat, Buxton looked like he had tied the game with a liner into the left-field corner, but Hernandez and the Blue Jays had other ideas. Hernandez got to the ball quickly and without hesitation threw it in to Galvis. The play from Hernandez was so fast that Galvis even had a bit of time to gather himself before firing to catcher Danny Jansen for the out.

“That’s a play we always practice,” Hernandez said. “Before the season starts, we try to make some throws, accurate throws, from the outfield and the infield to home plate. As much as you practice one play, you’re going to make it easy when it comes to the game.”

Hernandez’s heroics weren’t just for his work in the field. He also delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the top of the seventh that gave the Blue Jays a two-run lead. The 26-year-old wasn’t doing much of anything the first two weeks of the season, but the streaky hitter has been trending in the right direction ever since. Hernandez is 5-for-13 over his last four games, including a home run and six RBIs.

The Blue Jays have now won back-to-back games for just the second time this season. Toronto has picked up three come-from-behind wins over its last four games and the offense heating up has been a major reason why. The Blue Jays have 60 hits over their previous seven contests after 64 over their previous 11.

The offense was needed, but it was still the play in left field that everyone was buzzing about after the game. Even the Twins asking for a video review -- and causing a slight delay for Toronto’s on-field celebration -- wasn’t enough to ruin the moment. If Minnesota had any regrets after the game, manager Rocco Baldelli wasn’t admitting it.

“I thought it was a really good send by [third-base coach Tony Diaz] and we’re going to take that chance every time,” Baldelli said. “Cronie, he was hauling. He gave us an opportunity to send him and they made a good relay and ultimately a good throw to the plate and got us. It was a well-executed play and I think the right move on our part, too.”

The Blue Jays certainly aren’t going to argue, now that they have a chance to win their first series of the year with a victory on either Wednesday or Thursday.

“Unbelievable,” said right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who came away with a no-decision after allowing four runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. “You never know what the third-base coach is thinking in that spot. If he’s going to send him, or if he’s going to hold him. Two perfect throws to end the game. A good win.”

Up next
Right-hander Trent Thornton will make his fourth start of the year when the Blue Jays continue their four-game series vs. the Twins on Wednesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET at Target Field, live on MLB.TV. Reliever Ryan Tepera is expected to return for Toronto, but heavy rain is in the forecast throughout the evening.