Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Match Player Stats On Aug 24, 2018

Matt Chapman bashed a three-run home run in the eighth inning to break open a close game and secure a victory for Sean Manaea as the Oakland Athletics halted a two-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday in Minneapolis, evening the four-game series at a game apiece.

The win allowed Oakland to keep pace with the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West. The Athletics started the day 1 1/2 games behind the Astros.

Manaea (12-9) was solid for the Athletics, allowing one unearned run on five hits over five innings while walking one and striking out one.

He was relieved by Lou Trivino (who pitched a perfect sixth inning), Fernando Rodney (who struck out the side in the seventh around a walk), Jeurys Familia (whose perfect eighth inning included two strikeouts) and Shawn Kelley, who struck out two and walked one in the ninth.

Jake Odorizzi (5-8) was the hard-luck loser for Minnesota, surrendering two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk over seven innings. Odorizzi, who also struck out four, left the game trailing 2-1.

The Athletics grabbed the lead in the fourth when Matt Olson's sacrifice fly scored Jed Lowrie from third base. Minnesota answered in the bottom of the inning, with Miguel Sano's sacrifice fly scoring Eddie Rosario.

Jonathan Lucroy's RBI single in the fifth plated Mark Canha and pushed Oakland back in front 2-1.

Oakland broke open the game in the eighth via Chapman's 18th home run of the year off Twins reliever Oliver Drake. Lucroy led off with a single and Nick Martini walked before Chapman uncorked his home run to right-center to give the A's a 5-1 advantage.

Stephen Piscotty and Ramon Laureano hit solo home runs in the ninth off Twins reliever Addison Reed to end the scoring.

Minnesota managed just five hits off the Athletics' five pitchers, all singles, including two by Rosario.

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer passed Hall of Famer Rod Carew for second on the franchise's all-time hit list with his 2,086th career hit on a single to left in the fifth inning.

--Field Level Media