Twins Hold Off Athletics, Take Weekend Series At Target Field

Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Twins jumped on the Athletics early and held on late, winning 11-8 Sunday afternoon at Target Field to take two of three in the weekend series.

Minnesota scored in five different innings and never trailed. The Twins put up three runs in the first and three more in the second before adding another in the fourth for a 7-0 lead.

Ryan Jeffers led the offense, going three for five with three runs driven in. Ryan Kreidler also had a big day at the plate, going three for four with two doubles, a triple and three runs scored. Kody Clemens added three hits, including two triples. The Twins finished with 13 hits and six extra-base hits, and were helped along by four Athletics errors.

Connor Prielipp picked up the win after allowing just one run on two hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out five. Jeffrey Springs took the loss for the Athletics, giving up five runs and lasting only an inning and a third.

The Athletics made it interesting late, scoring three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to pull within 9-6. Nick Kurtz homered and drove in three for the visitors, while Jeff McNeil went two for four with two RBI. Minnesota answered with two runs in the eighth to push the lead back to five, and the Athletics managed two more in the ninth before the game ended.

The win is the fourth in Minnesota’s last five games. The Twins took the final two games of a four-game set at Cleveland last week before splitting the first two games against the Athletics.

Minnesota is now 53-54 and sits third in the American League Central, three and a half games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox and one game behind the second-place Cleveland Guardians.

The Twins stay home to open a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. at Target Field. The Royals come to Minneapolis at 45-62, last in the AL Central. Minnesota wraps up the homestand with a 12:40 p.m. matinee Thursday before heading to Seattle.