Ryan Jeffers went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins held on for an 11-8 win over the Athletics on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Ryan Kreidler finished 3-for-4 with three doubles and an RBI for Minnesota, which won the rubber match of the three-game series. Kody Clemens went 3-for-5 with two triples and an RBI.
Nick Kurtz hit a three-run home run to lead the Athletics. Jeff McNeil was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (3-5) held the Athletics to one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-10) gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Minnesota started the scoring with three runs in the first.
Royce Lewis drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice groundout. Clemens delivered in the next at-bat with a triple to right-center field, and he trotted home to score after Athletics shortstop Alika Williams fired an errant cutoff throw toward third that bounced out of play.
The Twins doubled their lead to 6-0 with three more runs in the second.
Minnesota loaded the bases for two outs for Jeffers, and the Twins made it 4-0 before he made contact. Athletics right-hander Luis Morales committed a bases-loaded walk to allow Alex Jackson to score from third.
Moments later, Jeffers ripped a two-run single to right.
Another miscue by the Athletics allowed the Twins to push their lead to 7-0 in the fourth. Catcher Jonah Heim committed a throwing error that allowed Ryan Kreidler to score.
The Athletics got on the scoreboard in the sixth. Kurtz belted a three-run, 412-foot shot to center for his 21st homer of the season.
Minnesota made it 8-3 on a sacrifice fly by Austin Martin in the sixth.
The Athletics cut the deficit to 8-6 with three runs in the seventh. Donovan Walton drew a bases-loaded walk, McNeil notched an RBI groundout and Carlos Cortes hit a sacrifice fly.
The Twins responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-6. Clemens tripled off the right-field wall, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Keaschall.
Kreidler and Jeffers drove in one run apiece in the eighth to give the Twins an 11-6 lead.
McNeil and Cortes each drove in a run in the ninth to finish the scoring for the Athletics.
