OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning.
Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th.
Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases.
Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankenhorn, who entered as a pinch-runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error.
Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman, Willians Astudillo, as the tying and winning runs scored. Oakland started the season 0-6, split its next two games, then went on the 11-game winning streak, the longest in the major leagues since the A’s won 11 in a row from May 16-27, 2019. Deolis Guerra (1-0) got the final out of the 10th.
Matt Olson homered twice and had three RBIs for the A’s.
Minnesota was swept in the three-game series, the first time the Twins were swept this season.
PHILLIES 6, GIANTS 5
hit the winning single in the ninth inning, Bryce Harper had a tying solo homer in the seventh, and Philadelphia beat San Francisco.
Harper walked off Wandy Peralta (2-1) to open the ninth, and Brad Miller’s fourth hit of the game put two runners. Knapp hit a one-out single to the left, and Harper beat Alex Dickerson’s throw, scoring standing up and touching the plate with his fingertips to help the Phillies avert a three-game sweep against their former manager Gabe Kapler and the Giants.
Hector Neris (1-1) struck out two in a scoreless ninth for the win.
Darin Ruf had a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh off Brandon Kintzler and the Giants went ahead 5-4 in the inning after left fielder Andrew McCutchen dropped a routine flyball for an error with two outs.
Mickey Moniak hit his first career home run for the Phillies five years after making him the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft.
NATIONALS 1, CARDINALS 0
WASHINGTON (AP) – Max Scherzer struck out nine in six innings to move up to No. 21 on the career list, and Alex Avila drove in the lone run with one of his two doubles, helping Washington edge St. Louis. Scherzer (1-1) retired 12 of his last 13 batters, working in short sleeves in gusts of 30 mph on a 50-degree late afternoon. The three-time Cy Young Award winner struck Dylan Carlson swinging through a 93 mph fastball with his 109th and final pitch. The righty’s strikeout of Justin Williams to end the fourth gave Scherzer 2,814 for his career, moving him one ahead of Hall of Famer Mike Mussina. Next up: Mickey Lolich, whose 2,832 strikeouts rank 20th in MLB history.
