From Aug. 18-25, Minnesota went 7-1 and averaged 5.25 runs per game. In the 10 games since, the Twins have averaged 2.5 runs per game.

The Twins head to Toronto with a 1-2 record on this seven-game trip, with daunting history to overcome: Minnesota is 8-20 against American League East teams this season, and they have lost seven straight and nine of the past 10 at the Rogers Centre.

A bad place to break out of a funk?

"It can't be," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We can't let it be. We can't think that way. We have to go in there and try to figure out how to win a series in there. We didn't get this one done here, and now we have to go there and try to get it done."

Minnesota's next seven games are their last of the season outside of the American League Central. After four games in Toronto and three at home against Oakland, the Twins finish up the regular season with 19 games against divisional rivals: three against Chicago and a critical seven against first-place Detroit, which came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Tampa Bay 5-3 and take a seven-game lead in the Central.

Those games against Chicago and Detroit later this month might not matter if Minnesota can't shake out of its Canadian funk. In Minnesota's past 10 games in Toronto, the Blue Jays have outscored the Twins 66-33 -- a margin even more threatening because of Minnesota's recent scoring drought, one that got the better of Blackburn on Sunday.

Through five innings, Blackburn gave up just two hits, both singles, and threw an economical 72 pitches. He started the game by retiring the first eight batters he faced and sent 13 of his first 15 hitters back to the dugout bench.

For a while, it seemed Minnesota's first-half ace might mimic Saturday's effort by Scott Baker, who has taken over that ace distinction since the all-star break. But after five shutout innings, Blackburn wavered for one run on three hits in the sixth and two more runs on two hits in the seventh.

Luis Valbuena led off the sixth with a single, and two outs later (one of them a sacrifice bunt that moved Valbuena to second), Michael Brantley singled Valbuena home.

Minnesota tripped up Brantley, Cleveland's leadoff hitter in lieu of out-for-the-season Grady Sizemore, in a rundown. Michael Cuddyer opted to keep the ball and attempt a diving tag (with the ball in his hand, not in his glove) to make the out.

Cuddyer made the tag, but the force of flopping onto the infield dirt juggled the ball loose, and Brantley ended up safe at second.

"I wish it was like football," Cuddyer joked, "where the ground can't cause a fumble."

Blackburn's effort Sunday, Gardenhire contended, should have been enough. Instead, thanks to an offense shutdown by left-hander David Huff, Blackburn suffered his 10th loss of the season (and any peace of mind that came with a second straight steady start).

Minnesota faced Huff twice in August, once lighting up the lefty for seven runs and 11 hits. On Sunday, he gave up one run on two hits in seven innings, holding Minnesota's lineup save for Denard Span and Nick Punto hitless. Cuddyer and Justin Morneau each went 0 for 3 and have combined to go 0 for their past 35.

"We said (in August) if our pitching ever catches up to our at-bats, then we'll be OK," Gardenhire said. "Now we're struggling with our at-bats, and our pitching is going along pretty decent. They have to go together."