Twins down A's despite just five hits

Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Eduardo Escobar drove in a pair of runs and scored once to help the Minnesota Twins defeat the Oakland Athletics, 6-5, Thursday at Target Field.

Eddie Rosario also drove in two runs for the Twins, who took three of four from the A's to end their 11-game homestand with eight wins. Shane Robinson also had an RBI for Minnesota, which moved to a season-best three games over .500 despite having just five hits in the game.

Ricky Nolasco (2-1) got the win, allowing four runs on six hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out one and walked one. The Minnesota bullpen combined to allow just two hits over the final four innings, striking out five. Closer Glen Perkins worked the final 1 1/3 innings to pick up his 10th save of the season.

"A little bit of a struggle today. Sometimes you just figure out a way to just keep your team there. The boys picked it up today," Nolasco said.

Ike Davis homered and drove in two runs for Oakland, which fell to 3-4 on it's current 10-game road trip.

The Athletics got the scoring started in the second inning when a pair of sacrifice flies by Max Muncy and Josh Phegley plated runs, but Minnesota answered right back in the home half of the inning.

Kennys Vargas scored on Robinson fielder's choice ground out. On the play, A's second baseman Brett Lawrie committed a throwing error trying to turn a double play, allowing Escobar to score the tying run. Later, Robinson scored on Rosario's sac fly for a 3-2 edge.

"We should be better defensively, and we have to continue to work to be better defensively because it has cost us games," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

Oakland went back ahead in the third thanks to a run-scoring single by Billy Butler, who then scored on Davis' double.

Minnesota tied the game in the fourth when Rosario singled home Kurt Suzuki and then went ahead 6-4 in the fifth when Escobar singled home two runs.

All six runs were charged to Oakland starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz (1-3), who ended up suffering the loss. The left-hander was tagged for six runs -- four earned -- on three hits over 4 1/3 innings. His undoing was five walks.

Davis drew the A's within a run in the sixth with a solo homer, his second of the season.

Game Notes

Butler went 2-for-4 with two runs scored ... Lawrie also had two hits for the A's ... Oakland wraps up its road trip with three games in Seattle starting on Friday ... Minnesota next travels to Cleveland on Friday to start a six-game road trip that also includes three games in Detroit.