Twins beat Athletics 9-6 as Culpepper goes 4-for-5
Kaelen Culpepper's first career four-hit game backed Zebby Matthews' seven strong innings in a 9-6 win over the Athletics, even as the Twins sit 2-3 over their last five and dealt with an IL move.
Culpepper's four hits power a 9-6 win
Athletics9-6The Twins beat the Athletics 9-6 on August 24. Josh Bell went 1-for-3 with a double and 3 RBI, Ryan Kreidler added a home run and an RBI on a 1-for-4 night, and Byron Buxton went 3-for-5 with a double. Kaelen Culpepper went 4-for-5 with an RBI, and the club noted it was his first four-hit game. Zebby Matthews started and worked 7.0 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 earned run with 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.
It capped a stretch that has left Minnesota 2-3 over its last five games and at 64-68 on the season. The Twins beat the Braves 6-4 at home on August 19, then dropped three straight in San Diego — a 6-2 loss, a 7-5 loss and an 8-1 loss — before Monday's win in Oakland.
Recent News
The Twins placed right-hander Kendry Rojas on the injured list with an oblique strain, per MLB Trade Rumors, in a move that could cost a Triple-A depth starter the rest of the season. The same stretch of moves saw Minnesota sign Ron Marinaccio to a minor league deal, per MLB Trade Rumors — his fourth organization this season — as bullpen help.
There was more encouraging news for the rotation: manager Derek Shelton said Joe Ryan, sidelined by a glute injury, will throw a one-inning live batting practice session Wednesday, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
Upcoming
Taj Bradley (9-5, 3.90 ERA) starts for Minnesota as the Twins are at the Athletics tonight. Bradley last pitched against the Braves on August 19, allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits over 5.0 innings with 7 strikeouts and 3 walks in a no-decision. Oakland counters with Gage Jump (5-8, 4.83 ERA), who was charged with 5 earned runs on 8 hits over 4.0 innings in a loss to Kansas City on August 20.
Minnesota is favored to take the opener, and the market expects a high-scoring game — a read that lines up with a Twins lineup that just put up 9 runs against Oakland and an Athletics starter who's allowed heavy contact in his last outing. For the total to hold, Jump will need to keep the ball in the park against a Minnesota order that's been hitting.