Oakland, CA – Alberto Callaspo smacked a two-run homer among his three hits and three RBI in the Oakland Athletics' 9-1 win over the Minnesota Twins in the third installment of a four-game set.
Yoenis Cespedes cracked a solo shot among his two hits, three RBI and two runs scored for Oakland, which can win the AL West for a second straight year with a sweep of the Twins in the series finale Sunday or a Texas Rangers loss. The Rangers are currently playing the Royals in Kansas City.
The A's moved to 15-5 in September.
"We're swinging the bats well and adding on and hitting home runs and doing a lot of things that we continue to do," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.
Jarrod Parker (12-7) surrendered a run on four hits over six frames in the triumph.
Spurts of heavy rain delayed the start of the contest for just over two hours.
Pedro Hernandez (3-2) allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk in a two- inning start for Minnesota, which has dropped nine of its last 11 tilts.
"Any mistake you make right now they jump on you," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.
The A's touched Hernandez for a run in the first but shelled the young left- hander with a five-run second.
Back-to-back one-out singles by Jed Lowrie and Josh Donaldson preceded Callaspo's base hit two batters later, which plated Lowrie for the game's first run.
Base hits to start the second by Michael Choice and Daric Barton put runners on the corners before Choice scored on Chris Young's sacrifice fly to right. After Lowrie flied out, Donaldson doubled to left and Cespedes singled home Barton and Donaldson.
Callaspo stepped up next and cracked his two-run shot over the wall in left for a 6-0 A's spread.
Josmil Pinto's leadoff shot to lead off the fifth got the Twins on the board.
Kurt Suzuki's two-run shot in the seventh and Cespedes' blast in the eighth capped the scoring.
Game Notes
Cespedes' homer was his 26th of the year ... Oakland was 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Minnesota finished 0-for-2 with RISP.
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