Zebby Matthews finally ran into some big league trouble on Saturday at Target Field.

The Twins’ rookie right-hander lasted only two innings in his fifth career major league start, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and a walk in a 15-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Matthews, 24, allowed two-run home runs to Daulton Varsho, Spencer Horwitz and Addison Barger before Toronto registered its fifth out, and Blue Jays hitters punished Twins pitchers — and infielder Kyle Farmer — with 23 hits and a season-high 15 runs.

Gifted a seven-run, first-inning lead, Toronto starter Jose Berrios limited the Twins to three hits in six innings as the Blue Jays drew the three-game series even headed into Sunday’s rubber match.

The Twins have lost 9 of 12 and head into the final month of the regular season 3½ games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central, and 3½ games ahead of Boston for the third AL wild card spot.

Matthews (1-2) started the season at Class A Cedar Rapids and moved quickly to the big leagues. His first four starts were sharp, a combined five earned runs on 13 hits, 13 strikeouts and two walks for a 3.00 earned-run average. But he struggled to get anyone out on Saturday.

After hitting leadoff hitter George Springer, he pitched to 11 batters in the first and six in the second. In all, the Blue Jays pounded out nine runs and nine hits on Matthews before he got his fifth out. He struck out five, didn’t walk a batter and saw his ERA balloon to 7.41.

Berrios (14-9), traded from Minnesota to Toronto at the 2021 trade deadline, allowed zero runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out five. He gave up a second-inning single to Edouard Julien then held Minnesota hitless until Christian Vazquez’s leadoff single in the sixth.

After a single by Willi Castro, and Trevor Larnach reached on a fielder’s choice, the Twins had runners at the corners with one out. But Berrios struck Matt Wallner out swinging and got Royce Lewis to pop out to left to keep the shutout alive.

Horowitz was 3 for 3 with three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. His two-run homer in the third was off Michael Tonkin, making his second appearance for the Twins after being claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Tuesday. He was charged with two earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks in one inning.

Briefly

Manny Margot started in center field for the Twins but left the game  with right groin tightness after grounding out in the fifth inning. He was replaced by Austin Matthews.