Carlos Cortes hit a two-run homer and Gage Jump pitched into the seventh inning as the Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Lawrence Butler had two hits for the Athletics, who won for the third time in four games, bouncing back from a 9-6 loss in the opener of the three-game series on Monday.
Jump (6-8) allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Hogan Harris recorded two outs, Luis Medina pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Elvis Alvarado retired the Twins in order in the ninth for his fourth save.
Royce Lewis had two of Minnesota’s four hits. The Twins struck out 12 times and lost for the fourth time in five games.
Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton exited the game after feeling right hip soreness while attempting to chase down Henry Bolte’s two-out triple in the seventh inning. Manager Derek Shelton and a member of the training staff came out to tend to Buxton before the three-time All-Star walked off the field.
“Once I got out there, he had already talked to (the trainer) a little bit and just felt with where he was at, I made the decision like, ‘OK, let’s get him off the field,'” Shelton said. “We just need to make sure that we get a look at it.”
After the game, Shelton told reporters he already planned to sit Buxton on Wednesday before the team’s Thursday off day, but he did not offer a lot in the way of a possible diagnosis. Buxton landed on the injured list twice previously this season due to his hip.
“(Buxton is) just too important to us,” said Shelton, whose team plays 15 consecutive games against American League Central teams beginning Friday. “So, we’ll see how he reports (Wednesday). Fortunately, it is a night game. It’s not a quick turnaround and we do have some time.”
On the mound, right-hander Taj Bradley (9-6) threw the first immaculate inning (three strikeouts on nine total pitches) in Twins history. In the fifth, he fanned Cortes and Brian Serven on swinging strikes, then caught Bolte looking at a third strike.
The Athletics took a 2-0 lead with two outs in the second. After Alika Williams doubled, Cortes turned on Bradley’s 1-2 cutter for his eighth homer of the season.
Minnesota recorded its first hit against Jump on Lewis’ two-out single in the fourth inning. Lewis then stole second base but was stranded when Kody Clemens struck out.
The Athletics added to their lead with two runs in the sixth inning. Butler singled with two outs and raced around to score on Tommy White’s double off the center field wall. Donovan Walton followed with an RBI single to right field.
Bradley allowed four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts.
Minnesota forced Jump from the game in the seventh inning. Harris replaced Jump with one out after Clemens scored from first base on Kaelen Culpepper’s double.
Brooks Lee’s double eluded the reach of second baseman Walton in shallow right field, sending Culpepper to third. Victor Caratini followed with an RBI groundout.
–Field Level Media
