Justin Morneau connects against Oakland on Sunday. The Canadian first baseman has 102 RBIs, second in the AL. (Dino Vournas/Associated Press)

Justin Morneau of New Westminster, B.C., is doing everything he can to help the Minnesota Twins get back into the playoffs.

The first baseman will be in Toronto on Tuesday as the Twins begin a three-game series with the Blue Jays.

Minnesota (77-60) is tied with the Chicago White Sox atop the American League Central. Both clubs have won three fewer games than Boston, the current AL wild-card leader.

The Twins rode a 96-win season to the playoffs in 2006, but dipped below .500 last season.

Morneau on Sunday got Minnesota started by driving in a run in the first inning with a base hit, and then connected on a three-run homer in the sixth in a 12-4 win over Oakland.

"The energy from a pennant race, there is nothing like it," said Morneau. "I kept looking up there to see that Chicago-Boston score change, but it was 4-2 our whole game. It's just one of those things. You are paying attention [to the scoreboard] and you try not to let it distract you."

The result allowed the Twins to gain a split of the four-game series, after they had lost successive series to Seattle and Los Angeles.

Minnesota is 5-6 on the current road trip, which extends three more games due to the Republican convention.

Morneau has gone 15 for 35 (.429) in the last eight games, with two homers and nine runs batted in. He now has 502 career RBIs.

Perkins up against Jays

First-year starter Glen Perkins has also been doing his part. Perkins (12-3) will get the start on Tuesday. The lefty has victories in his last four appearances, not allowing a run in two of those games.

Perkins limited the Blue Jays to two runs and five hits over six innings on May 15, with Toronto winning in extra innings.

Toronto will counter on Tuesday with David Purcey (2-5), who struck out 11 in his last start, but gave up the only run against Tampa Bay — a Carlos Pena home run.

The Blue Jays scored 13 runs in their last two games to take their final regular-season series at Yankee Stadium.

Scott Rolen hit a solo shot in Sunday's 6-2 win, with Marco Scutaro, Jose Bautista and Rod Barajas each hitting doubles. Roy Halladay picked up his 17th win.

Toronto begins Tuesday 9½ games behind Boston.

It is expected that prospect Travis Snider will get a long look in September after Toronto sent Matt Stairs to Philadelphia on the weekend. While Snider will get to play some games in the outfield, it is more likely he will be slotted in as designated hitter.

Snider went 1-for-7 in his first major-league action against New York.