Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Match Player Stats On May 04, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 4, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Jharel Cotton provided six effective innings on the mound and the Oakland Athletics' offense tied a season high with 14 hits to snap the team's skid with an 8-5 win against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

Cotton (3-3) allowed two solo homers in the second inning but otherwise stayed out of trouble as Oakland snapped a three-game losing streak. The A's had lost eight of their previous nine games.

The rookie right-hander gave up just three hits and three walks. Two of the three runs Cotton allowed were earned, and he struck out a career-high nine batters. Santiago Castilla loaded the bases in the ninth but converted his fifth save in six chances by striking out Miguel Sano looking.

Ryon Healy had a bunt single, and his fourth homer of the season extended the A's lead in the seventh inning before being ejected later for arguing balls and strikes. Stephen Vogt had two hits and two RBIs.

The bottom five hitters in the Oakland order went 9-for-21 with five runs scored and five RBIs.

Kyle Gibson (0-4) had another rough start for Minnesota as was demoted after the game to Triple-A Rochester.

Gibson surrendered four runs in four innings on eight hits and three walks.

Twins manager Paul Molitor said before the game that Gibson had to perform to stay in the rotation as Minnesota's starting staff has aided the team's surprise start to the season. Gibson has an 8.20 ERA after six starts and he has walked 13 batters in 26 1/3 innings.

Eddie Rosario and Danny Santana hit solo home runs for the Twins, who had won six of their previous seven games and entered the day in a tie atop the American League Central with the Cleveland Indians. Eduardo Escobar added a two-run shot in the eighth.

Chad Pinder had two hits, including an RBI single in the second, for Oakland. Matt Joyce had two hits and two walks, one a bases-loaded walk in the second inning, when the A's scored three runs.

Oakland walked a season-high eight times but left 13 runners on base and was 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

NOTES: Minnesota CF Byron Buxton left the game in the sixth inning after hitting the wall hard while securing the final out of the top of the fifth. The team said he was pulled for precautionary reasons and he passed a concussion test. He will be re-evaluated on Friday. ... Oakland placed C Josh Phegley on the seven-day concussion disabled list. Phegley took a ball off his mask and left Wednesday's game. Manager Bob Melvin said Phegley reported feeling better on Thursday than he did a day after his last concussion. C Bruce Maxwell was recalled from Triple-A. ... RHP Nick Tepesch will start Sunday's game for the Twins, taking the team's open fifth starter spot in the rotation. ... Melvin told reporters that LHP Sean Manaea (left shoulder strain) wouldn't throw a bullpen session as expected on Thursday. Manaea was sore after throwing Wednesday and Melvin said he would do some long toss. Manaea's stay on the disabled list could be longer than expected, and RHP Sonny Gray will start Sunday's game against Detroit.