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Anderson set for season debut for A's against Twins

Aug 21, 2012 - 2:41 PM

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(Sports Network) - Brett Anderson makes his season debut for the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday when they continue a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at the Coliseum.

Anderson was one of the more promising lefties in baseball, but has been sidelined for more than 14 months recovering from Tommy John surgery. His start against the Twins on Tuesday will be his first since June 5, 2011.

The 24-year-old hurler, who was 3-6 with a 4.00 ERA before being shut down last season, made six rehab starts and pitched to a 4.62 ERA.

"We felt like he's ready," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "We feel like this could be a nice little shot in the arm for us. We tried to get this guy ready and back, and when he was ready, we said we'd get him here, because he is so talented. We're looking forward to watching him tomorrow."

Anderson could have new shortstop Stephen Drew in the field behind him. Drew was acquired from Arizona on Monday in exchange for minor league infielder Sean Jamieson.

Oakland's shortstops are last in the majors in batting at .188 and in RBI with 30. Drew, though, is only batting .193 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 40 games since returning from a back injury that cost him nearly a year.

"He'll be a good fit here. He's a good all-around player," Melvin said about Drew.

The A's could have used Drew in Monday's opener, as Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham each had three hits and two RBI to lead Minnesota to a 7-2 triumph. Darin Mastroianni added a pair of hits and knocked in two runs for the Twins, who snapped a five-game slide.

Minnesota, though, has still lost nine of 11.

"Right now, it's not even about the other team," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's about us getting back to winning ballgames, playing a better brand of baseball ourselves. Pitching, get our offense going again because we are scuffling enough. We can't really worry about the other guys. That's a spoiler role, you start watching and it irritates people more when you play well."

Brian Duensing (3-8) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and a walk while striking out seven over six innings for Minnesota.

"To come out and get the first win of a series is huge," Duensing said.

Josh Reddick and Josh Donaldson had an RBI apiece for Oakland, which saw its four-game win streak come to an end.

Brandon McCarthy (6-5) surrendered six runs on 10 hits and a walk in just 3 1/3 innings.

Minnesota will rely on righty Cole De Vries on Tuesday, as he tries for his first win since June 30. De Vries lost his third straight decision on Wednesday against Detroit, which reached him for four runs in four innings, dropping him to 2-4 o the year to go along with a 5.04 ERA.

"He misfired a little bit," Gardenhire said. "He threw too many pitches. The pace of the game needs to be better than that. It was too slow."

De Vries lost to the A's back on July 14 and has pitched to a 6.30 ERA in two starts.

Minnesota has won four of seven meetings with the A's this season after the teams went 4-4 against one another a year ago.






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