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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Oakland Athletics are using a formula
that had kept the Minnesota Twins in first place until Friday
night.
Mark Mulder pitched 6 2-3 strong innings to knock Minnesota out
of first place in the AL Central for the first time this season, as
the A's beat the Twins 4-2.
Mulder (6-2) allowed one run and seven hits to become the second
left-hander to beat the Twins in nine starts.
"Mulder's not your everyday left-hander," A's manager Art Howe
said.
|  | | Oakland's Mark Mulder allowed just one Minnesota run on seven hits. |
The A's have won eight of nine games because of pitching
performances such as this one. They have allowed just 22 runs over
their last nine games, for a 2.25 ERA.
Mulder said he found a comfort zone against the Twins. He was
making his fifth start against them since he was a rookie last
season.
"A team's not going to change too much," Mulder said. "I feel
like I know how to pitch against these guys."
The Twins have spent most of the past two months in first place
because of their pitching, but they lost for the fourth time in six
games and fell one game behind the Cleveland Indians, who beat the
New York Yankees 6-4.
"The race for first is good for the media – it's a story," the
Twins' Denny Hocking said. "Just because you're a game out doesn't
change the atmosphere here. There's a lot of teams that would like
to be in our shoes."
Minnesota's Joe Mays (6-3) failed in his bid to join teammate
Brad Radke (7-1) and Cleveland's Dave Burba (7-2) as the AL's only
seven-game winners. He gave up four runs and nine hits in six
innings.
Mays, who was allowing an average of 4.4 hits per start, gave up
seven before the third inning was over. Jason Giambi had two
doubles and a single off Mays.
"It seemed like they hit the good, the bad and the ugly
pitches," Mays said. "Everything I threw up found the hole."
Terrence Long drove in the A's first two runs off Mays, on a
sacrifice fly in the first inning and a single in the third. Eric
Chavez added an RBI single in the third, and Johnny Damon added a
sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 4-0 lead.
Brian Buchanan hit an RBI single off Mulder in the sixth.
The A's put runners on first and third in the seventh, chasing
Mulder. Jim Mecir got Denny Hocking to hit a grounder for the third
out.
Howe said he asked Mulder if was tired, and Mulder said he was.
"I was tired from the fourth inning on," Mulder said. "I just
didn't have much energy, and I was fighting it the whole game to
get it going."
Jason Isringhausen allowed a solo homer to Corey Koskie in the
ninth before getting his ninth save in 12 chances.
Jason Giambi had two doubles and a single for the A's.
Game notes
The A's and Twins will play the only scheduled doubleheader
in the majors Saturday. Both teams will wear 1901-style uniforms in
the opening game. The A's will wear the uniforms of the
Philadelphia Athletics. The Twins will wear Washington Senators
uniforms. ... Chavez had a double and a single for the A's. ... LHP
Brad Thomas will start for the Twins in the second game, for his
major league debut.
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OTHER GAMES
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RECAPS
Baltimore 7
Texas 6
Boston 4
Toronto 0
Cleveland 6
NY Yankees 4
Chi. White Sox 8
Detroit 4
Anaheim 6
Tampa Bay 4
Seattle 9
Kansas City 6
Oakland 4
Minnesota 2
Chicago Cubs 1
Milwaukee 0
St. Louis 5
Cincinnati 4
Philadelphia 10
Montreal 8
NY Mets 4
Florida 3
Atlanta 1
Pittsburgh 0
Arizona 7
San Diego 1
Los Angeles 4
Houston 1
Colorado 6
San Francisco 1
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