Athletics 8, Twins 6
Coco Crisp belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to snap a tie and lead host Oakland posted its 10th win in 13 games.
Alberto Callaspo and Jed Lowrie also went deep for the first-place Athletics, who reduced their magic number for clinching the American League West to four while maintaining their 6 1/2-game lead over the Texas Rangers. Sean Doolittle (5-5) retired all four batters he faced to notch the win.
Oswaldo Arcia hit a solo homer and Chris Parmelee went 3-for-3 and scored a run for Minnesota, which has lost seven of nine.
The Twins battled back from a 6-3 deficit, scoring once in the seventh and twice in the eighth to forge a tie. But Daric Barton drew a leadoff walk from Shairon Martis (0-1) in the bottom of the eighth and, after Callaspo struck out, Crisp deposited a 2-1 pitch over the right-field wall for his 21st blast and an 8-6 lead.
Josmil Pinto and Pedro Florimon hit RBI infield singles in the sixth to give Minnesota a 3-2 edge, but Callaspo led off the bottom half with a pinch-hit homer and Lowrie added a three-run shot later in the frame to put Oakland ahead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Minnesota starter Kevin Correia allowed two runs on six hits and five walks in five innings. Oakland's Dan Straily lasted 5 2/3 frames, yielding three runs - two earned - and three hits. ... The Twins have allowed a total of 34 runs in their last three losses to the Athletics. ... Parmelee, Arcia and Pinto combined for seven of Minnesota's 10 hits.