Twins 6 - 1 Athletics
Final
  for this game

Twins drop A's to avoid sweep

Aug 11, 2014 - 2:48 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Brian Dozier and Josh Willingham homered as the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics, 6-1, to avoid a four-game sweep.

Kurt Suzuki knocked in two runs and scored a run for the Twins, who snapped a 12-game losing streak to Oakland. It was Minnesota's first win against the A's since Sept. 10, 2013.

"It just feels good to win," said Willingham. "Losing the first three, we needed to win this one badly."

Minnesota starter Phil Hughes (12-8) allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings. He improved to 8-3 on the road this season.

Stephen Vogt drove in the lone run for the A's, who remained four games ahead of the Angels for first place in the AL West.

Oakland starter Jason Hammel gave up one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Luke Gregerson (2-2) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in the eighth.

"This is the best he's pitched, even better than last time out, for me," said A's manager Bob Melvin of Hammel. "The ball was down in the zone, mixing pitches was good, slider was sharper. After the second [inning] you saw a lot of ground balls. That's the way he pitches when he's on."

Dozier hit a solo homer to left in the top of the first. But Vogt responded with an RBI single in the bottom half to make it 1-1.

The Twins failed to score with runners on first and third with one out in the seventh. Jordan Schafer whiffed at a bunt and Eduardo Nunez was tagged out between third and home. Schafer struck out swinging.

Minnesota broke the 1-1 tie with a three-run eighth. Danny Santana led off with a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Suzuki brought home Santana with a double off the wall in left-center field. Two batters later, Willingham hit a two-run homer to left.

The Twins tacked on two insurance runs in the ninth. Jesse Chavez loaded the bases with two outs. Suzuki hit an RBI single before Kennys Vargas walked to force in a run.

Game Notes

The Twins went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while the A's went 1- for-8 ... Santana went 3-for-5 with two runs scored ... Oakland went 6-4 during a 10-game homestand.






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