Vargas carries Twins past Athletics
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kennys Vargas had a pair of hits, including a two-run homer in the decisive fifth inning, to lead the Minnesota Twins to an 11-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night at Target Field.
Vargas, playing in his second game after being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Monday, also doubled to lead off the second inning and came around to score Minnesota's first run of the game.
Max Kepler and Miguel Sano added homers and the Twins got six strong innings from left-hander Tommy Milone as Minnesota beat the Athletics for the first time in five tries this season.
Milone (1-2), making his seventh start, earned his first victory of the season in his seventh start and third since being recalled from Rochester on June 18. It also matched his longest start of the season.
Former Twin Danny Valencia had a pair of hits, including a three-run homer to pace Oakland. Marcus Semien also had two hits and a home run.
Oakland starter Sean Manaea (3-5) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings of work, striking out five.
Trailing by six runs in the eighth inning, Valencia's three-run blast got Oakland within striking distance late, but an RBI single by Eduardo Nunez and Sano's three-run shot provided the Twins with plenty of breathing room in the bottom half.
Semien's solo shot with two outs in the second inning gave Oakland an early 1-0 lead. It was Semien's 18th homer of the season.
The Twins clawed back in the bottom of the inning after Vargas' leadoff double down the left-field line. He came around to score on Kurt Suzuki's RBI ground out to tie the game at 1.
The bottom of the Minnesota lineup came through in the fourth inning. Kepler walked with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He scored two batters later on a sharp single by Suzuki into left. Byron Buxton, the No. 9 batter, followed with a double to left field, scoring Suzuki from first for a two-run lead off Manaea.
Jake Smolinski singled in the fifth inning and stole second but was gunned down at the plate by left fielder Danny Santana after a two-out single by Coco Crisp.
The hit by Crisp extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
Minnesota broke the game open in the fifth, getting a leadoff walk from Robbie Grossman before a two-out, two-run homer by Vargas that barely cleared over the wall -- and a leaping Smolinski -- in left field.
On the next pitch, Kepler smashed his sixth homer over the right-field fence, giving the Twins a 6-1 lead.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 2 hours, 42 minutes by rain. The 9:52 p.m. CDT start time was the latest start in Target Field history. ... Athletics C Josh Phegley had surgery on Tuesday to remove a cyst from his right knee. Phegley, who was placed on the disabled list on Sunday, could return shortly after the All-Star break. ... Twins RHP Trevor May was activated from the 15-day disabled list. May, who missed 23 games because of back spasms, has a 6.08 ERA in 29 appearances in 2016. ... Twins LHP Buddy Boshers was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. Boshers was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in 15 games with Minnesota this season. ... Twins OF Darin Mastroianni was activated from the 15-day disabled list and outrighted off the 40-man roster. Mastroianni has appeared in seven games with the Twins this season, walking twice and stealing a base.