Joey Gallo hits a 2-run homer in the 9th to send the Twins past the Athletics, 5-4
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Joey Gallo could have lost his cool in the seventh after being called out on strikes as a pinch-hitter.
Instead, he stayed ready.
Gallo broke a tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins snapped a three-game losing streak from before the All-Star break by beating the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on Friday night.
“He did a good job of keeping it together and then going up there and being prepared to hit a 100 mph fastball,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He smoked it. He caught it right where he wanted to catch it. That’s a nice way to punctuate the beginning of the second half for Joey and for the team.”
Donovan Solano led off the ninth with a double against Shintaro Fujinami (5-8) before Gallo connected for his team-leading 16th homer an out later.
Griffin Jax (5-6) pitched a scoreless eighth for the victory and Jhoan Duran finished for his 13th save after allowing JJ Bleday’s RBI single and hitting Brent Rooker with a pitch.
“That’s a good feeling to start the second half,” Solano said.
Christian Vázquez singled off Sam Moll to start the eighth and Max Kepler added a base hit before Fujinami entered and induced Carlos Correa’s inning-ending double play in a 10-pitch battle.
Jace Peterson hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the third, then Edouard Julien doubled to tie it for Minnesota in the fourth.
Lucas Erceg retired Byron Buxton on a called third strike to escape a bases-loaded jam in the sixth — one of four Ks by Erceg among his five outs.
Twins hitting coach David Popkins was ejected by plate umpire Nic Lentz for arguing when pinch-hitter Gallo was called out on strikes in the seventh.
Kyle Farmer hit an RBI triple in the first following Buxton’s sacrifice fly.
Kenta Maeda struck out six over three innings but missed earning his first decision in three career outings against Oakland. He was trying to win consecutive starts for the first time all season after missing all of 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
A’s starter Ken Waldichuk — the first of three left-handers for Oakland in this weekend series — struck out five over 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and three hits.
RESET
Correa knows everybody in the lineup must do a better job producing in the second half and the hitters have met with the coaches to get on the same page. He doubled in the first.
“It’s a reset for me and a start over,” said Correa, who batted .225 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs in the first half.
Baldelli said the mantra must be “doing our best to dominate every at-bat, every pitch and focus, bring the level the focus on that to a better place, a place where you get the 1-9 action rather than scattered good at-bats.” He said that might mean more early work for the left-handed hitters to keep them ready.
TOP PROSPECTS
The A’s called up their top prospect, catcher and first baseman Tyler Soderstrom and he went hitless as the designated hitter in his major league debut, while highly touted infielder Zack Gelof made his debut at second base and tied the game with a double off the wall in the third for his first major league hit.
Both had their contracts selected from Triple-A Las Vegas while right-handed pitcher Freddy Tarnok was recalled from Las Vegas.
“We’ve been talking about this for a while for both guys,” general manager David Forst said. “I saw them both in Vegas a couple weeks ago. … The All-Star break sort of gives a nice kind of turning point, or pivot if you will to bring both guys up.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: Minnesota scratched 3B Jose Miranda late because of right shoulder soreness. Farmer replaced him in the lineup. … Touted prospect LHP starter Connor Prielipp will undergo Tommy John surgery Monday, to be performed by Dr. Keith Meister.
Athletics: LHP Richard Lovelady went on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 11 with a strained left forearm and C Manny Piña was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 11 with a left wrist contusion. … OF Ramón Laureano (fractured right hand) will hit live batting practice Saturday, when RHP Dany Jiménez (shoulder) will throw live BP and RHP Zach Jackson (strained flexor tendon) will throw a bullpen. RHPs Mason Miller (right forearm tightness) and James Kaprielian (strained pitching shoulder) will throw on flat ground.
UP NEXT
RHP Pablo López (5-5, 3.89 ERA) pitches Saturday for Minnesota coming off a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game. The A’s counter with lefty Hogan Harris (2-3, 6.07), 0-3 over his last four appearances.
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