Twins 4 - 3 Athletics
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Twins, A's clash at the Coliseum

May 18, 2011 - 2:57 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins try to string back-to-backs wins together for the first time in over three weeks this evening when they open a brief two-game set against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum.

On the day that Minnesota legend Harmon Killebrew succumbed to cancer, the Twins ended their longest losing streak in almost 13 years, as Michael Cuddyer's two-run first inning single was all the run support Francisco Liriano would need in a 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

"It's nice to get out there and shake hands," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "There was a lot going on today and it was a very emotional day before the game and after the game. So it was a nice win. We needed a win, and on this day it's probably more special."

Liriano (3-5) threw seven strong innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk while fanning nine as the Twins snapped a nine-game losing streak.

"It's nice because obviously we wanted to use these three hours to get our minds off the tragedy, even though you can't," said Cuddyer. "It's impossible. But we wanted to go out and get a win, and there was no better time than today."

Carl Pavano gets the call tonight for the Twins, searching for the 100th win of his career. Pavano has failed in his last three attempts at the milestone, but was solid his last time out on Friday against Toronto, as he scattered seven hits and threw 115 pitches over 5 1/3 scoreless innings, but did not get a decision in his team's 2-0 loss.

"I didn't have much out there," said Pavano, who is 2-4 with a 5.89 ERA. "I feel like I had one pitch. I had 75 pitches out of three innings. That's not how you want to start the ballgame and I think it affected the team. They had to battle out of it."

One of Pavano's two wins came against the A's, who managed just a run and four hits off of him in eight innings back on April 8. He is 3-0 lifetime against them with a 2.57 ERA in four starts.

Oakland, meanwhile, enters tonight's opener tied for first place in the American League West after Gio Gonzalez's dominating effort against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday. The A's scored 14 times, but Gonzalez did not need it, as he gave up just one hit over seven scoreless innings to help Oakland to its third win in four tries.

The A's banged out 15 hits in the game and scored six of their runs in the sixth inning and amazingly, their season-high 14 runs came without a homer.

"A real big night for the offense. It was nice to see," said A's manager Bob Geren.

Hoping for that same kind of support tonight will be righty Brandon McCarthy, who is 1-4 with a 3.34 ERA. McCarthy lost his fourth straight decision on Friday against Chicago, as he allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in seven innings.

McCarthy's lone win, though, came against the Twins on April 10 and he has pitched to a 1.63 ERA against them in seven appearances, two of which have been starts.

Oakland took two of three from the Twins when these teams met at Target Field in early April.






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