MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jorge Polanco homered in the sixth inning and four Minnesota Twins pitchers made it stand up, blanking Oakland 1-0 Saturday and sending the Athletics to their eighth straight loss.
Minnesota pitchers combined to strike out 15 while allowing just three hits. The Twins won again minus manager Rocco Baldelli, who is out with COVID-19.
Polanco’s third homer of the season was a towering shot to the suites above the batter’s eye in center field and traveled an estimated 451 feet. Polanco had three of Minnesota’s five hits.
Griffin Jax (2-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings in relief. Jhoan Duran struck out five in two innings for his second save, but the electric right-hander escaped after walking and hitting a batter in the ninth.
Sonny Gray returned from the injured list to make the start for the Twins after recovering from a hamstring strain. Gray pitched four innings, giving up two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Danny Coulombe followed Gray and got four outs.
James Kaprielian (0-2) surrendered one run on three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven, recovering from a tough first start to the season when he gave up four runs in two innings against Cleveland.
Gray and Kaprielian proved their health in limiting the offenses.
Gray, who was originally scheduled to make a second rehab start on Saturday, only allowed two singles and five of his seven strikeouts were called. At one point, he struck out four of five hitters looking.
Kaprielian, who was making his second start of the season after recovering from an inflamed right AC joint, escaped trouble in the first after a wild pitch allowed Byron Buxton to reach on a strikeout and Max Kepler walked.
Kaprielian retired seven of eight before Polanco’s two-out homer in the sixth on his final pitch.
LAUREANO TO RETURN
Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said OF Ramón Laureano was traveling to Minnesota on Saturday to join the team. Laureano is eligible to return Sunday from his 80-game suspension for testing positive for a banned drug in 2021.
Laureano played 10 games with Triple-A Las Vegas this season, hitting .135.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: Kotsay said OF Stephen Piscotty was getting an MRI Saturday for a calf injury but didn’t have the results before the game. He was replaced after running the bases in the second inning on Friday.
Twins: OF Trevor Larnach was scratched from the lineup before the game with lower-body tightness, according to acting manager Jayce Tingler. Tingler said Larnach was hopefully still available Saturday if needed. … SS Carlos Correa was out of the lineup for a second straight game as he deals with a bruised finger from being hit in the hand by a pitch. Correa is considered day to day.
UP NEXT
After having his start pushed back a day, RHP Chris Paddack (1-2, 3.15 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Minnesota, with Oakland countering with RHP Daulton Jefferies (1-4, 4.81). Paddack earned his first win for the Twins in his last start with one run allowed in 5 1/3 innings at Baltimore. Jefferies has received one run of support or fewer in each of his five starts this season, losing the past four. He gave up six earned runs in five innings against Tampa Bay in his last start.
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