TORONTO -- Jose Bautista hit a grand slam in the second inning and the Toronto Blue Jays held on for a 9-7 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion also hit home runs for Toronto (57-52), which has won four straight to strengthen its hold on the second wild card in the American League and keep pace with the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

The Blue Jays have homered in 17 of 18 games since the all-star break and have hit multiple home runs in 10 of those games.

Drew Hutchison (10-2) struck out five over five innings of work but gave up seven runs -- three of them earned -- on seven hits. Liam Hendriks, Brett Cecil and Mark Lowe pitched a scoreless inning of relief each before LaTroy Hawkins came in to earn his first save with Toronto.

Designated hitter Miguel Sano had two hits and three runs batted in for Minnesota (54-53), which has dropped three games in a row. Tyler Duffey (0-1) struggled in his Major League debut, giving up six runs on five hits in just two innings of work. Five relievers came in for the Twins after Duffey was pulled from the mound.

Donaldson made an impressive catch in the first inning, stabbing a line drive by Brian Dozier out of the air for the first out of the game.

Minnesota took a 3-0 lead immediately after Donaldson's strong defensive play. Sano drove in leadoff man Aaron Hicks with a double that advanced Joe Mauer to third. Trevor Plouffe then cleared the bases with a double of his own.

Donaldson brought Toronto to within a run with a home run to deep left field, driving in Troy Tulowitzki. It was Donaldson's sixth homer in 10 games and 29th of the season, tying a career high.

Bautista gave the Blue Jays a 6-3 lead in the second inning with a towering grand slam to left field. The bases had been loaded after Ryan Goins and Kevin Pillar had singles and Donaldson walked.

It was the fifth grand slam of Bautista's career.

Encarnacion added to Toronto's lead with his 20th home run of the season, a three-run shot that brought home Ben Revere and Bautista. Revere was on base after his first hit since joining the Blue Jays on July 31. Bautista was aboard after a walk.

The Twins climbed back in to the game with a four-run fifth inning.

Hicks hit an RBI double to left field to make it 9-5. Sano then launched a home run to centre field, bringing home Mauer and cutting Toronto's lead to 9-7.

Those runs signalled the end of Hutchison's night.

Minnesota got runners on second and third after Hawkins allowed back-to-back singles and the runners then advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Toronto buckled down for the final two outs to end the rally.