by Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s played a very ugly, ugly game Wednesday night in Minnesota as they took it on the chin by a score of 13-0. The A’s were hoping to get some momentum going since they won Tuesday and were hoping to get back to back wins since early April and they had one of their best pitchers, Scott Kazmir on the hill. Kazmir came into the game with a 2-0 won-loss record and a sparkling ERA of just 1.62.  Kazmir didn’t have anything working and he was rocked for six runs and seven hits in six innings of work. The A’s bullpen did not perform well either. Chad Smith, in just 1/3rd of an inning of work, gave up four runs on three hits and he hit a batter and had one walk. The Twins scored three more in the eighth off R.J. Alvarez. The A’s offense didn’t do well against Twins’ starter, Kyle Gibson. Gibson went six innings giving up just four hits and no runs and the Twins bullpen kept the A’s scoreless the rest of the way. The A’s had a couple of scoring chances but could not come up with the hits when needed.

The game started to unravel for Kazmir in the bottom of the third. The Twins’ Eddie Rosario, making his Major League Debut, hit Kazmir’s pitch on his first Major League swing into the left field seats for a solo homer. The next hitter, Danny Santana tripled down the right field line. Kazmir walked Brian Dozier to put men on at first and third with no out. Torii Hunter singled driving in Santana. Trevor Plouffe also singled to drive in Dozier. Hunter stopped at second. Kazmir threw a pitch in the dirt and Hunter advanced to third on the wild pitch and then scored on a sacrifice fly.  Twins led 4-0 after three.

The Twins made it a 6-0 game in the bottom of the sixth when Eduardo Escobar hit a home run with a man aboard. Kazmir finished the inning, but he was done for the night. Kazmir gave up six runs on seven hits.

The Twins scored four more runs in the 7th and three in the eighth as they pounded the A’s for thirteen runs on twelve hits.Final score 13-0 in favor of Minnesota.

Game notes- Not too many bright spots for Oakland in the game. Coco Crisp returned to the lineup after being on the DL since opening day. Coco went 0-for-4. Brett Lawry had two hits and has a 10-game hit streak going. Marcus Semien also had two hits in the game. After the game A’s manager Bob Melvin said ” it was very frustrating not winning back to back games. We just couldn’t put together a good game. ”

The hitting star for Minnesota was Eduardo Escobar who had three hits including a double and a home run and had 5 RBI.

The Twins are now 15-13 for the season and Oakland drops to 12-17. Game four of the series will be Thursday morning at 10am in Minnesota. Drew Pomeranz (1-2, 4.61 ERA) goes for Oakland and he will be opposed by Ricky Nolasco ( 1-1, 10.18 ERA .)