RECAP: @PJHughes45 shuts down A’s as #MNTwins take series finale, 6-1. http://t.co/gMq8EIw29U pic.twitter.com/fRZdB8jsIC
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 10, 2014
The Minnesota Twins finally won a game against the A’s. It’s been nearly a year since they last beat Oakland — Sept. 10, 2013. And they’d dropped the first three games of their weekend series. But Sunday, the Twins found their bats again, banging out 10 hits en route to a 6-1 win at O.co Coliseum.
The win snapped a 12-game losing streak to the A’s, which was tied for the second-longest losing streak to one club in Twins’ franchise history. The club record is 13 straight losses to both the Yankees from 2002-03 and the Rangers from 1998-99, according to MLB.com.
Twins starter Phil Hughes pitched seven strong innings to get the win, giving up just one run on four hits and a walk, and striking out seven batters. His record is 12-8 with a 3.88 ERA on the season.
Kurt Suzuki and Josh Willingham, both of whom used to play for Oakland, had a big eighth inning to break open the game. Suzuki drove in the go-ahead run with a double, and Josh Willingham followed with a two-run homer to make it 4-1, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Both hits came off A’s reliever Luke Gregorson (2-2), who entered with a 1.81 earned-run average.
The Twins added two more runs in the ninth against reliever Jesse Chavez, according to MLB.com. After Chavez loaded the bases with two outs, Suzuki drove in his second RBI of the day with an infield single, and then Kennys Vargas drew a bases loaded walk to bring in the final run.
Brian Dozier hit a solo shot in the first inning, his 20th homer of the year. He needs one stolen base to become the sixth player in Twins history to record at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same year, according to the Pioneer Press.
The Twins travel to Houston for a three-game series against the Astros starting Monday.
First baseman Joe Mauer, who’s been out since July 1 with a strained muscle on his right side, is expected to be activated on Monday. Left-hander Tommy Milone is being called up from Triple-A Rochester to start Monday in Houston. He replaces Kevin Correia, who was traded to the Dodgers Saturday night, in the starting rotation.
