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Halladay (4-5) has been the victim of poor run support all season, getting only 3.14 runs per outing entering Wednesday. Stairs’ slam in the first inning gave the right-hander a 4-0 advantage.
The Twins answered back as Justin Morneau hit his seventh homer of the season in the bottom of the first to make it 4-2 and Jason Kubel added an RBI double to make it 4-3.
Michael Cuddyer’s RBI groundout tied it in the third.
Toronto regained the lead on Brad Wilkerson’s RBI single in the fourth off Boof Bonser (2-5).
Bonser has allowed 17 runs in his last three starts and has twice allowed four or more runs in the first inning.
Wilkerson and Aaron Hill led off the game with singles and Scott Rolen coaxed a walk after an 11-pitch at-bat to load the bases.
Rolen walked after a 15-pitch at-bat during the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game and Stairs followed with a home run.
Stairs sent the first pitch he saw after Rolen’s most recent marathon at-bat into the first row of the upper deck in right field for his first grand slam since May 19 of last season and the 11th of his career.
Halladay pitched 62/3 innings, allowing four runs and nine hits. He struck out nine.
Leading 5-4 in the eighth, Toronto added an insurance run on reliever Jesse Crain’s throwing error. Crain had Scott Rolen picked off of second base, but overthrew third base and allowed Rolen to score.
Minnesota closed to within one on an RBI double by Kubel. Brian Tallet struck out pinch-hitter Brendan Harris to end the threat and strand Kubel on third.
Scott Downs pitched the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
