Twins 13, Athletics 0
MINNEAPOLIS -- Eddie Rosario homered on his first major league pitch and Kyle Gibson tossed six shutout innings, helping the Minnesota Twins to a 13-0 win over the Oakland Athletics at Target Field on Wednesday.
Rosario, called up from Triple-A Rochester on Monday, made his big league debut and smacked an opposite-field homer on a first-pitch fastball from Oakland left-hander Scott Kazmir, leading off the bottom of the third inning, becoming the sixth Twin in history to homer in his first major league at-bat and the first since Luke Hughes did it in 2010.
The home run ignited a four-run third for the Twins, who scored two more in the sixth, four again in the seventh and three more in the eighth.
Gibson was the beneficiary of the offensive support, striking out one and walking two while scattering four hits for his third victory. Gibson, who went eight shutout innings his last time out against the Chicago White Sox, has not allowed a run in his last 17 innings.
Kazmir (2-1) took the loss, giving up six runs on seven hits and a pair of walks over six innings of work. He entered having allowed six total runs in his first five starts this season.
Twins left fielder Eduardo Escobar went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and five RBIs. Shortstop Danny Santana had three hits and scored two runs. Kennys Vargas, who entered the game late for first baseman Joe Mauer, hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning.
Oakland third baseman Brett Lawrie had two hits. His second-inning double extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
The first four Twins batters in the third inning reached base. Rosario's homer gave the Twins a 1-0 lead. Shortstop Danny Santana followed with a triple. After a walk by second baseman Brian Dozier, right fielder Torii Hunter singled to right, scoring Santana.
Two batters later, a single to left field by third baseman Trevor Plouffe drove in Dozier before and then a sacrifice fly by left fielder Eduardo Escobar scored Hunter to make it 4-0.
Gibson worked around trouble in the second, getting shortstop Marcus Semien to line out to short with two runners in scoring position, and also in the fifth, working around back-to-back hits to start the inning by getting center fielder Coco Crisp to bounce into an inning-ending 6-3 double play.
NOTES: Athletics OF Coco Crisp was activated from the 15-day disabled list and batted leadoff. He missed the first month of the season while recovering from elbow surgery. ... Oakland OF Craig Gentry was optioned to Triple-A Nashville. He had three hits in 35 at-bats this season. ... Minnesota's Eddie Rosario made his major league debut, playing in right field and batting eighth. ... The Athletics and the Twins will play the final game of the four-game series Thursday at Target Field. Oakland LHP Drew Pomeranz (1-2, 4.61 ERA) faces Minnesota RHP Ricky Nolasco (1-1, 10.13).