BOX SCORE
The As surrendered leads of 3-1 and 4-3 as the Twins scored the game-tying and go-ahead runs against the previously untouchable Ryan Cook to up Oakland's season-high skid to six games.Starting pitching report: Travis Blackley, making his first Major League start since 2007 with the Giants, gave the As an impressive spot start. The Twins mustered just three hits and one run on Trevor Plouffes solo home run in five innings against Blackley, who struck out three and walked one.Blackley erased a leadoff single by Denard Span by getting Joe Mauer to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first. After two quick outs in the second, Blackley allowed Ryan Doumit to reach first as he threw wide of first baseman Kila Kaaihue. But he escaped his self-inflicted jam by getting Dozier to fly out to left.Blackley allowed a baserunner in the fourth and fifth innings, but no Twin passed second base until Plouffes home run with two outs in the fifth. Blackley completed the frame, but was pulled in favor of Jordan Norberto in the bottom of the sixth after throwing 72 pitches, 43 for strikes.Bullpen report: Norberto entered with a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth and promptly started his outing with a groundout. But he issued back-to-back walks to Darin Mastroianni and Joe Mauer, then gave up a double to former Athletic Josh Willingham. Mastroanni scored on the double with Mauer moving to third. Justin Morneau then hit a sacrifice fly to left that plated Mauer to tie the game.As manager Bob Melvin turned things over to Grant Balfour, who ended the sixth inning by getting Doumit to fly out to left. Balfour also worked the seventh inning, allowing just a four-pitch walk to Alexi Casilla.Ryan Cook came into the game to work the eighth inning with a 4-3 lead and still sporting a 0.00 ERA. But the rookies scoreless streak came to an end at 23 innings as the Twins rallied for two runs. With one out, Mauer singled to center and stole second base. After Willingham walked on a full count, Morneau drove in his second game-tying run, this time on a bloop double that barely stayed fair down the left-field line, and Willingham scored on a sacrifice fly by Doumit for a 5-4 Twins advantage.At the plate: The As entered Mondays game having scored six runs in their last five games. They were on pace for nine after two innings in Minnesota, though, as Josh Reddick hit his 14th home run of the season in the first and Kila Kaaihue tacked on another solo shot in the second.The As were held scoreless for the next three innings before striking for a third run in the sixth. Reddick led off the frame with a triple and scored on Brandon Inges ground ball double play, one of four on the afternoon for the As.After the Twins tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, the As responded in the eighth. Back-to-back one out walks set up Kurt Suzuki for an RBI single to center, the As first hit with runners in scoring position in 24 innings.In the ninth, the As made things interesting against Twins closer Matt Capps as Colin Cowgill reached base for the fourth time on the afternoon after an error by Casilla (the other three times came on hits). After retiring pinch-hitter Seth Smith, Capps walked Jemile Weeks to put the tying run in scoring position. But Capps got Coco Crisp to ground out right back to the mound and struck out Jonny Gomes to end the game.In the field: The As only error was Travis Blackleys off-line throw in the second inning, which didnt lead to a run. In the bottom of the third, Brandon Inge dove to his right to snag a sharp ground ball off the bat of Casilla and threw over to Kaaihue in time, a sign that Inges sore groin that led to a DL stint that ended Sunday is no longer bothering him.The As erased a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth with a double play, which ended up saving a run when Plouffes homer came with the bases newly emptied.On the bases: Despite 10 hits and five walks and two extremely speedy players at the top of the order in Weeks and Crisp, the As didnt record a stolen base in the game. Colin Cowgill was caught for the second time this season after he took off for second and the pick off throw behind him got to second in time for the tag out.Up next: Jarrod Parker (1-2, 3.38 ERA) will oppose Cole De Vries (0-1, 5.40 ERA) as the As and Twins play the second of three games in Minnesota. The As will look to snap their season-high six-game losing streak.
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