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Twins continue brutal road trip vs. Oakland

Aug 28, 2008 - 10:08 AM Minnesota (75-58) at Oakland (61-72) 10:05 pm. EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- If the Minnesota Twins fall out of the pennant race, it may be because of the presidential race.

The Twins continue their longest road trip in 39 years on Thursday against the lowly Oakland Athletics.

Minnesota, which is one game behind the Chicago White Sox (76-57) in the American League Central, is in the midst of a grueling 15-day, 14-game road trip due to the Republican Convention being held in the Metrodome from September 1-4.

"Everybody knows we are on a tough road trip," catcher Mike Redmond told the team's web site. "No one has to remind us. We just have to keep grinding."

The road has been rocky, but the Twins snapped a four-game skid with a 6-5 victory over Seattle on Wednesday, improving to 3-4 on their longest road trip since 1969. Denard Span drove in two runs and threw out pinch runner Tug Hulett, the potential tying run, at the plate in the eighth inning.

"I just released the ball and let it go," Span said. "I just want to make sure to give Red (Redmond) a nice hop, or throw it right to him and I got rid of the ball pretty good."

Minnesota will look to move to .500 on the trek behind rookie Nick Blackburn (9-8, 3.78 ERA), who is winless in his last three starts.

Oakland, which picked up its first series win in 13 tries with a 6-5 victory over Anaheim on Wednesday, counters with Dana Eveland (8-8, 4.30).

Eveland returned from the minors on Saturday and limited the Mariners to one run and five hits in seven innings. The lefthander was optioned to Class AAA Sacramento earlier this month after going 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA in a four-start span.