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Twins look to rebounding after stunning loss

Aug 31, 2008 - 9:35 AM Minnesota (76-60) at Oakland (63-73), 4:05 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Twins' resilience will be tested when they face the Oakland Athletics for the last time in the regular season on Sunday as the teams conclude their four-game set.

Closer Joe Nathan was called in to preserve a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning on Saturday, but the righthander failed to get an out and made a errant throw to third base attempting to get a force play on a sacrifice bunt, allowing two runs to score as the Athletics posted a 3-2 victory.

The loss was increasingly painful as it cost Minnesota a chance to take over first place in the American League Central. The Twins remain a half-game behind the Chicago White Sox (76-59), which also lost to Boston on Saturday.

The Twins, who are in the midst of a 14-game, 15-day road trip due to the Republican National Convention taking over the Metrodome, will turn to Scott Baker (7-4, 3.75 ERA). The righthander is coming off his own 3-2 loss, allowing three runs and 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings in a defeat in Seattle on Tuesday.

However, Baker is 2-0 in two career starts against the A's.

Oakland, which has won four of six after struggling mightily since the All-Star break, turns to Greg Smith (6-13, 3.90) in the finale. The lefthander also needs to bounce back as he endured a 5-1 setback on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim that saw him allow five runs and 10 hits in six innings.

Smith is the first Oakland rookie to lose 13 games since Matt Keough lost 15 in 1978 and is 1-7 in his last 10 starts.