AL: MINNESOTA (28-25) at OAKLAND (26-27) <h3>Hot Twins aim to keep momentum going</h3> <div class="pre">Minnesota (28-25) at Oakland (26-27) 9:05 pm EDT</div> OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Twins are on aroll. On Saturday, they turn to the man who helped them startit. The Twins continue their three-game series with the OaklandAthletics on Saturday at McAfee Coliseum. Minnesota turns to Carlos Silva (3-5, 4.22 ERA), who yieldedjust two runs and six hits over 7 1/3 innings in a 4-2 win overToronto his last time out. The win snapped a personal four-game skid and got the Twinsstarted on their five-game winning streak, a stretch where theoffense has scored 6.6 runs per game, a fair increase over the4.3 runs the team averaged in its first 51 contests. The righthander is 2-1 with a 3.35 ERA in seven careerregular-season appearances - including six starts - against theA's. Joe Blanton (4-3, 4.28), who surrendered a career high-tyingthree homers and season-high eight runs in Sunday's 8-4 loss toBaltimore, will look to recover from one of the worst outings ofhis career. He is 2-2 with a 5.92 ERA in four career outings againstMinnesota.
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA AT OAKLAND -- LINEUPS MINNESOTA OAKLAND AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Luis Castillo 2B .333 0 8 Travis Buck LF .256 6 17 Jeff Cirillo DH .231 1 10 Nick Swisher 1B .304 9 32 Michael Cuddyer RF .303 7 37 Milton Bradley RF .317 2 7 Justin Morneau 1B .288 16 44 Dan Johnson DH .308 5 22 Torii Hunter CF .316 11 45 Eric Chavez 3B .234 7 25 Mike Redmond C .323 1 17 Bobby Crosby SS .251 5 20 Jason Kubel LF .238 2 17 Mark Kotsay CF .250 0 0 Nick Punto 3B .237 0 10 Mark Ellis 2B .235 3 23 Jason Bartlett SS .243 0 10 Jason Kendall C .186 0 13 Carlos Silva RHP (3-5, 4.22) Joe Blanton RHP (4-3, 4.28)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND WARMUPS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA (3-5, 4.22) OAK - JOE BLANTON (4-3, 4.28) UMPIRES: HP - MARVIN HUDSON 1B - MIKE MUCHLINSKI 2B - ED MONTAGUE 3B - BILL MILLER WEATHER: 59 Degrees, cloudy WIND: 17 mph, out to right</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND STARTING BATS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA AND MIKE REDMOND OAK - JOE BLANTON AND JASON KENDALL DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: L CASTILLO (.333, 0 HR, 8 RBI) J CIRILLO (.231, 1 HR, 10 RBI) M CUDDYER (.303, 7 HR, 37 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 1 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: T BUCK (.256, 6 HR, 17 RBI) N SWISHER (.304, 9 HR, 32 RBI) M BRADLEY (.317, 2 HR, 7 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .337 J Cirillo dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .227 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316 M Redmond c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .323 J Kubel lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .317 D Johnson dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .308 E Chavez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234 B Crosby ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 J Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .186 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 OAKLAND - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.22 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.22 Pitches-strikes: J Blanton 17-10. Ground balls-fly balls: J Blanton 1-2. Batters faced: J Blanton 4. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND CONFIRMED STARTERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 1 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: T HUNTER (.316, 11 HR, 45 RBI) M REDMOND (.323, 1 HR, 17 RBI) J KUBEL (.238, 2 HR, 17 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .337 J Cirillo dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .227 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316 M Redmond c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .323 J Kubel lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 Totals 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Redmond-J Bartlett). OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .311 D Johnson dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .308 E Chavez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234 B Crosby ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 J Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .186 Totals 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - N Swisher (1, 2nd base by C Silva/M Redmond). ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 0 -- 0 OAKLAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.15 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.22 Pitches-strikes: C Silva 14-6; J Blanton 17-10. Ground balls-fly balls: C Silva 1-0; J Blanton 1-2. Batters faced: C Silva 3; J Blanton 4. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: S Stewart in left field. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0 OAKLAND 0 TOP, 2ND DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: T Hunter (.316, 11 HR, 45 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: D JOHNSON (.308, 5 HR, 22 RBI) E CHAVEZ (.234, 7 HR, 25 RBI) B CROSBY (.251, 5 HR, 20 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .337 J Cirillo dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .227 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 M Redmond c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321 J Kubel lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 Totals 7 0 1 0 0 0 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Redmond-J Bartlett). OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254 S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .311 D Johnson dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .308 E Chavez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234 B Crosby ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 J Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .186 Totals 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - N Swisher (1, 2nd base by C Silva/M Redmond). ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 00 -- 0 OAKLAND - 0 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.15 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.16 Pitches-strikes: C Silva 14-6; J Blanton 29-18. Ground balls-fly balls: C Silva 1-0; J Blanton 4-2. Batters faced: C Silva 3; J Blanton 7. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL MINNESOTA AT OAKLAND NOTE: OAKLAND'S TRAVIS BUCK HAS LEFT THE GAME IN THE FIRST INNING WITH A STOMACH AILMENT.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: N PUNTO (.237, 0 HR, 10 RBI) J BARTLETT (.243, 0 HR, 10 RBI) L CASTILLO (.337, 1-FOR-1)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .337 J Cirillo dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .227 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 M Redmond c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321 J Kubel lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 N Punto 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 J Bartlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243 Totals 7 0 1 0 0 0 3 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Redmond-J Bartlett). OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254 S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .311 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 E Chavez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 B Crosby ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 J Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .186 Totals 5 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - N Swisher (1, 2nd base by C Silva/M Redmond). ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 00 -- 0 OAKLAND - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.09 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.16 Pitches-strikes: C Silva 24-12; J Blanton 29-18. Ground balls-fly balls: C Silva 4-0; J Blanton 4-2. Batters faced: C Silva 6; J Blanton 7. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 2 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M KOTSAY (.250, 0 HR, 0 RBI) M ELLIS (.235, 3 HR, 23 RBI) J KENDALL (.186, 0 HR, 13 RBI)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 .341 J Cirillo dh 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .224 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 M Redmond c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321 J Kubel lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 N Punto 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 11 0 2 0 0 0 4 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Redmond-J Bartlett). OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254 S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .311 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 E Chavez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 B Crosby ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Kotsay cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 J Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .186 Totals 5 0 0 0 1 1 1 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. BASERUNNING: CS - N Swisher (1, 2nd base by C Silva/M Redmond). ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 000 -- 0 OAKLAND - 00 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.09 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 4.11 Pitches-strikes: C Silva 24-12; J Blanton 42-28. Ground balls-fly balls: C Silva 4-0; J Blanton 6-3. Batters faced: C Silva 6; J Blanton 11. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 2 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 1 0 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M CUDDYER (.301, 0-FOR-1) J MORNEAU (.286, 0-FOR-1) T HUNTER (.315, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">MINNESOTA (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - END 3RD - IN PROGRESS MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg L Castillo 2b 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 .341 J Cirillo dh 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .224 M Cuddyer rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .301 J Morneau 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .286 T Hunter cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .315 M Redmond c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .321 J Kubel lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 N Punto 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .236 J Bartlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242 Totals 11 0 2 0 0 0 4 BATTING: Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Redmond-J Bartlett). OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg T Buck lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .254 S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .275 N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .304 M Bradley rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .311 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305 E Chavez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 B Crosby ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 M Kotsay cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 J Kendall c 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .191 Totals 9 0 1 0 1 2 2 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. BASERUNNING: CS - N Swisher (1, 2nd base by C Silva/M Redmond). ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA - 000 -- 0 OAKLAND - 000 -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva 3 1 0 0 1 2 0 4.02 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 4.11 Pitches-strikes: C Silva 40-24; J Blanton 42-28. Ground balls-fly balls: C Silva 5-1; J Blanton 6-3. Batters faced: C Silva 10; J Blanton 11. UMPIRES: HP--Marvin Hudson. 1B--Mike Muchlinski. 2B--Ed Montague. 3B--Bill Miller. Weather: 59 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: MINNESOTA at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 0 1 0 (BOT 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: MIN - CARLOS SILVA OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: N SWISHER (.304, 0-FOR-0, BB) M BRADLEY (.311, 0-FOR-1) D JOHNSON (.305, 0-FOR-1)</div>
