Athletics drop series opener to Twins 6-2

Soderstrom’s homer only bright spot for the A’s

The Oakland Athletics traveled to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul to take on the Minnesota Twins tonight. The A’s 25-year-old righty Luis Medina made his third appearance of the season facing 28-year-old Joe Ryan for the Twins.

The A’s got on the board first, in the top of the second inning when Miguel Andujar led off the inning with a walk, and then Tyler Soderstrum launched a rocket into the center field batter’s eye. Soderstrom’s fourth homer of the year gave the A’s a quick 2-0 lead. However, the lead didn’t last long as Max Kepler and Carlos Correa opened the inning with singles. Luis Medina tossed a wild, wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third. Byron Buxton singled to drive both runners home and tie the score at 2.

The Twins took a 3-2 lead when Medina gave up a two-out single to Carlos Correa with runners on first and second in the bottom of the third inning.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, oft-injured Byron Buxton beat out an infield single to Diaz, then went from first to third on a single to left field by Ryan Jeffers. Buxton scored on a fielder’s choice by Austin Martin. That gave Minnesota a 4-2 lead.

Royce Lewis opened the bottom of the fifth with a base hit to left field. But Medina buckled down and disposed of the 4-5-6 hitters to end the inning. Medina closed the inning with 102 pitches and left with a line of eight hits, four earned runs, three strikeouts and only one walk.

Vinny Nittoli came in to replace Medina to start the Twins’ half of the sixth. Buxton greeted him with a base hit and then was erased on a fielder’s choice. Austin Martin reached on an infield single, moving Jeffers to second. But Nittoli got Willi Castro to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Sean Newcomb replaced Nittoli in the bottom of the seventh. Royce Lewis singled with one down. Carlos Correa continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer to deep left field to score Lewis and bring the score to 6-2. Ryan went seven innings for the Twins, giving up two earned runs, on three hits and one walk. He struck out five A’s.

Newcomb came out to pitch the bottom of the eighth also. He walked Buxton on four pitches. Martin singled to move Buxton to second. But Newcomb was able to shut the door and end the inning for the A’s with a Jose Miranda pop out.

The A’s went quietly in the ninth. The final score was Twins 6-2 over the A’s. Joe Ryan gets the win; Luis Medina is saddled with the loss.