by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s Jake Smolinski attempt to score on Coco Crisp’s single was stopped when Smolinski was thrown out at the plate at Target Field on Tuesday night

The Minnesota Twins beat the A’s Tuesday night 11-4 at Target Field. The Twins lefty, veteran Tommy Milone, bested the A’s rookie lefty Sean Manaea. Milone was making his third start since being recalled from the minors and won his first game of the year after two not-so-good outings. Sean Manaea, who won his last start against San Francisco last week, took the loss. Manaea pitched five innings and allowed seven hits, six runs, walked three, struck out five and two home runs.

The A’s for the fourth time in the last five games scored first. Shortstop Marcus Semien hit his eighteenth home run of the season in the second to take a 1-0 lead. The A’s, by the way, have lost the last four games that they have scored first. Tonight was no exception. The Twins tied the game in the bottom of the second. They scored two more times in the fourth and three more in the fifth to send Manaea to the showers. The Twins’ Kennys Vargas hit a two-run blast, and Max Kepler followed with a solo shot to put the Twins ahead 6-1. The Twins added a run in the sixth to up the lead to 7-1.

The A’s third baseman, Danny Valencia, hit a three-run shot in the top of the eighth, but the Twins countered with four to win 11-4.

Game notes- Sean Manaea’s record is now 3-5 and the A’s drop twelve games under .500 with a record of 36-48. The A’s currently reside in fourth place in the AL West to games ahead of the LA Angels.

The A’s and Twins conclude the three-game series Wednesday morning at 10 am PT from Target Field in Minneapolis. Sonny Gray goes for Oakland. Gray has been struggling all year and hopes to win his first game since April. The Twins Ervin Santana, who is also struggling, will go for Minnesota.

Rain delayed the start of the game Tuesday for two hours and forty minutes.

The A’s Steven Vogt made the All-Star team for the second year in a row. Vogt will be the only Athletic going to San Diego for the mid-year classic.