Sano, Twins blast Athletics
MINNEAPOLIS -- Miguel Sano continued his hot streak at the plate while right-hander Ervin Santana pitched another gem as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-1 on Tuesday at Target Field.
Sano's two-run homer was one of six home runs hit by the Twins (13-11). Brian Dozier hit a pair while Jason Castro, Byron Buxton and Joe Mauer also cleared the fences.
Minnesota's bats gave Santana more than enough run support. Santana, who has been among the league leaders in most statistical categories through the first month, improved to 5-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.66.
In six innings of work, Santana allowed just three hits while striking out seven Oakland batters. He entered Tuesday with the best ERA among American League starting pitchers.
Sano's homer was the longest of the night, measuring an estimated 466 feet. The blast to center field cleared the batter's eye and landed in a seating area called "Catch" in the second deck. It put the Twins up 3-0.
Sano (.317, eight home runs, 27 RBIs), the reigning American League Player of the Week who has homered in three straight games, is 12-for-20 with four home runs and 13 RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
Buxton, Dozier and Mauer all homered in the seventh inning. For Buxton and Mauer, it was their first home runs of the season. All three home runs came off Oakland reliever Cesar Valdez and pushed the lead to 8-0.
Minnesota's six home runs set a team record at Target Field. It was also the most home runs in a game by the Twins since June 26 of last season, when they also hit six against the New York Yankees.
The Twins have won three straight games, while the A's have dropped seven of their last eight contests.
Right-hander Sonny Gray (0-1) made his season debut for Oakland after recovering from a lat strain. After cruising through the Twins' order once, Gray ran into trouble the second time through the lineup. He gave up four runs in six innings -- including three home runs.
Dozier gave the Twins their first hit -- and first run -- with a solo homer in the third. Dozier's two-out blast gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead against Gray. Two batters later, after Gray walked Max Kepler, Sano hit his tape-measure blast.
Castro joined the home run parade in the fourth inning with a solo shot off Gray. Castro's solo shot cleared the center-field fence to put Minnesota up 4-0.
NOTES: A's pitching prospect Casey Thomas died unexpectedly Tuesday. He was 24 years old. Thomas was taken in the 34th round of last year's draft out of Texas A&M Corpus Christi and spent last season with Oakland's rookie league affiliate. ... Former Twins manager Sam Mele died late Monday night at the age of 95. Mele was the second manager in team history, leading the Twins from 1961-67. He had a record of 522-431 during his tenure as Minnesota's skipper.