WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Byron Buxton delivered an impressive performance, driving in five runs to help the Minnesota Twins secure a 10-4 win over the Athletics, extending their losing streak to seven games.
In the second inning, Buxton produced a pivotal two-out, two-run double as part of a six-run surge. Later, in the sixth, he hit a single that brought in two more runs, followed by a sacrifice fly in the ninth to cap off his impressive night. Meanwhile, Lawrence Butler managed to hit a three-run homer for Oakland. The Athletics, struggling with their form, have lost 18 of their last 19 games overall and hold a 9-20 record at Sutter Health Park.
The opening game of the four-game series saw the Twins overcome a slow start against Luis Severino, eventually batting through the second inning. Ty France initiated the scoring with a two-RBI single, then Buxton extended the lead. Trevor Larnach and Brooks Lee also contributed with an RBI single and a double, respectively. Lee added another RBI single in the eighth inning.
In a brief bright spot for the Athletics, Butler managed to score the team’s first run after walking and proceeding to third on Jacob Wilson’s double. He scored on Brent Rooker’s hit to the Twins’ starting pitcher, Joe Ryan. Butler hit another homer in the fourth inning to close the gap to 6-4.
Ryan, now holding a 6-2 record, faced a challenging moment with bases loaded and no outs in the fifth inning but managed to escape without conceding more runs, ultimately giving up four runs through five innings. Severino, on the other hand, had a tough outing with eight runs and nine hits allowed in 5 2/3 innings.
The Minnesota Twins, with a 32-27 record, have seen mixed results after a standout 13-game winning streak, going 6-7 since then. However, they remain undefeated against Californian teams, having previously swept both the Angels and Giants.
In the upcoming game, the Twins plan to start with right-hander Pablo López, who has a 4-3 record and a 2.75 ERA. Meanwhile, the Athletics have yet to announce their starting pitcher for the next matchup.