Minnesota Twins vs Oakland Athletics Box Score on Jul 30, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 30, 2017

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yonder Alonso hit a solo walk-off home run with one out in the 12th inning, powering the Oakland Athletics to a 6-5 victory against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum.

Alonso launched reliever Tyler Duffey's first pitch into the right field seats for his 22nd home run of the season. The walk-off blast was the second of his career.

The Athletics beat Minnesota with a walk-off homer for the second straight game. Rajai Davis hit a two-run shot in the ninth inning Saturday. It was Oakland's ninth walk-off win of the season.

Josh Smith (1-0) blanked the Twins over the final two innings for the win. Duffey (0-3) took the loss.

In the first inning, Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer and Brian Dozier a solo shot for the Twins, who grabbed a 3-0 lead and extended it 5-0 through the top of the fourth. The A's scored twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and twice in the eighth to pull even.

Oakland rookie Jaycob Brugman hit a solo home run in the fifth, and rookie Matt Chapman had a two-run double in the eighth.

With two outs in the eighth, Ryon Healy worked a walk off Taylor Rogers and moved to second when pinch hitter Rajai Davis lined a single to center.

Chapman lined a two-run double to left off Ryan Pressly.

A's right fielder Matt Joyce launched a leadoff double off the left-center field wall off reliever Trevor Hildenberger in the ninth inning. Hildenberger then struck out Marcus Semien, retired Jed Lowrie on a fly ball as Joyce tagged up and moved to third, and struck out Khris Davis.

Alonso lined a leadoff single in the 10th, but Hildenberger, a product of the University of California in nearby Berkeley, struck out the next three batters.

A's rookie right-hander Jharel Cotton was activated Sunday from the disabled list and gave up five runs on five hits, including the two home runs in the first, while lasting only 3 2/3 innings. Cotton struck out five, walked five and threw 78 pitches. He had been out since July 4 because of a blister on his right thumb.

Twins right-hander Bartolo Colon, who pitched for the A's in 2013 and 2014, allowed three runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out one and walked one. Colon is 0-1 with two no-decisions for Minnesota since being called up from Triple-A Rochester on July 18. The Twins signed him to a minor league deal on June 7, three days after he was released by Atlanta.

After Cotton exited, Simon Castro, Liam Hendriks, Santiago Casilla, Blake Treinen, Ryan Dull and Smith combined to blank the Twins for the final 8 1/3 innings.

NOTES: The Twins traded LHP Jaime Garcia, along with cash considerations, to the New York Yankees on Sunday morning for RHP Zack Littell and LHP Dietrich Enns, a pair of minor league prospects. ... Twins DH Miguel Sano was ejected by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in the 11th after taking a called third strike on a pitch that appeared to be outside, then slamming his bat down in anger. ... A's RHP Frankie Montas was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Sunday, opening a spot on the 25-man roster for RHP Jharel Cotton. Montas is 1-1 with a 7.03 ERA in 23 relief appearances for the A's over two stints. ... A's INF/OF Chad Pinder (strained left hamstring) played his final rehab game for Triple-A Nashville on Saturday and will be activated Monday when the A's open their series against the Giants. ... 1B Joe Mauer played his 1,676th career game, tying him with Tony Oliva for fourth-place on the Twins' all-time list.