OAKLAND, Calif. — Matt Olson hit a grand slam, Mitch Moreland homered twice to back Sean Manaea’s shutout and the Athletics slugged past the depleted Minnesota Twins 7-0 Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader for Oakland’s ninth straight victory.
Moreland connected for a two-run homer in the second inning and a solo drive in the fourth off Matt Shoemaker (1-1).
The left-handed Manaea (2-1) allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked one over seven innings, throwing 95 pitches for his second career complete game and shutout – he no-hit the Red Sox at home on April 21, 2018.
Olson made it 7-0 with his fourth-inning slam through a blustery wind.
The A’s matched the longest winning streak in the majors this year with Boston, which won nine in a row from April 5-14. Oakland is 10-1 since starting the season 0-6.
Minnesota finally got back on the field following three postponements because of COVID-19 protocols.
The Twins’ scheduled series opener in Oakland was delayed, forcing the doubleheader. Minnesota missed games Saturday and Sunday against the Angels in Anaheim.
The Twins have had at least four positive coronavirus tests in the past week – Andrelton Simmons, Kyle Garlick, Max Kepler and a team staff member.
“We want to get out there and be safe and we want to get out there and play baseball,” Manager Rocco Baldelli said.
WHITE SOX 8, INDIANS 5: Carlos Rodon followed up his no-hitter by hanging around for five shaky innings to beat host Cleveland for the second time in a week and Jose Abreu homered twice.
Rodon (3-0), pitching in short sleeves despite temperatures dropping into the 30s and snow on the way, worked around five walks, giving up a homer and throwing 110 pitches – only four fewer than in his gem on April 14.
The left-hander gave up two runs and three hits.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NATIONALS 3, CARDINALS 2: Yan Gomes drew a four-pitch walk from Giovanny Gallegos to force in the go-ahead run in an odd eighth inning that also featured St. Louis deploying a five-man infield, and the Nationals came back to win at home.
St. Louis led 2-1 entering the eighth. But Gallegos (2-1) walked a batter, then hit one, before Trea Turner’s RBI single to right on an 0-2 count tied the game.
One out and one intentional walk later, Gallegos faced Starlin Castro with the bases full, and Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt removed an outfielder he had just inserted in the middle of the inning in favor of an extra infielder, Edmundo Sosa. That left the Cards with only a pair of corner outfielders.
The strategy worked out fine, because Gallegos got Castro looking at strike three on a 94 mph fastball. But then came the free pass to Gomes that put the hosts ahead – and gave them a win.
GIANTS 10, PHILLIES 7: Alex Dickerson and Wilmer Flores both hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to lift San Francisco to a win in Philadelphia.
Buster Posey hit a pair of solo home runs for the Giants.
INTERLEAGUE
DODGERS 1, MARINERS 0: Julio Urias threw seven dominant innings of one-hit ball, striking out a career-high 11 and leading Los Angeles at Seattle.
The matchup between early-season division leaders out West was an entertaining pitchers’ duel with Urias getting the better of Seattle’s Marco Gonzales. Corey Seager drove in the only run with a two-out single in the third inning after AJ Pollock’s leadoff double. Those were the Dodgers’ only hits in the game.
YANKEES 3, BRAVES 1: The Yankees broke their five-game losing streak with little offense, getting a run-scoring wild pitch and bases-loaded walk from reliever Nate Jones in the eighth inning to beat visiting Atlanta.
Gio Urshela hit a tying home run in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton and the Yankees won with five hits, which left their four-game total at 16. New York went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position, but the last-place Yankees improved to 6-10 and avoided what would have been their worst start since 1972.
Tyler Matzek (0-2), who returned to the major leagues last year for the first time since 2015, walked pinch-hitter Aaron Hicks leading off the eighth and DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge followed with singles that loaded the bases – just the second multihit inning for the Yankees in two games.
Slumping Clint Frazier pinch hit for Brett Gardner, and Jones relieved and bounced a slider past catcher Travis d’Arnaud for a wild pitch that scored Hicks for a 2-1 lead. Frazier popped out to second, leaving him in a 1-for-25 slide and with no RBI in 41 plate appearances this season.
Giancarlo Stanton was intentionally walked, Gleyber Torres flied out to short center and Mike Ford, playing his first game this season, forced in a run with a four-pitch walk.
Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0 ) worked around a hit batter in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman pitched around a walk in the ninth for his second save, his first since April 12.
Jameson Taillon, making his third start since Tommy John surgery in August 2019, lowered his ERA to 7.56 to 5.40. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and a walk.
ORIOLES 7, MARLINS 5: Trey Mancini and Freddy Galvis each hit a solo homer in the third inning, and Baltimore won in Miami.
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