Rosario, Escobar power Twins' rout of A's
MINNEAPOLIS -- Eddie Rosario helped jump-start the offense with a homer on the first pitch he saw in his Major League career, while Kyle Gibson tossed six scoreless innings to lead the Twins to a 13-0 win over the A's on Wednesday night at Target Field.
Rosario, called up two days ago from Triple-A Rochester, led off the third with a blast to the opposite field on a first-pitch fastball from A's starter Scott Kazmir. It helped spark a four-run third inning for the Twins. Eduardo Escobar later connected on a two-run homer in the sixth before the Twins broke the game open with a four-run seventh against reliever Chad Smith. Escobar again did damage in that inning, hitting a two-run double high off the wall in right field. He finished with five RBIs.
Kennys Vargas capped the scoring with a towering three-run blast in the eighth, but it was Rosario's historic homer that'll be remembered.
"It was an awesome moment," Rosario said. "To have your first-bat and hit the first pitch for a home run. I was just trying to be aggressive."
Twins center fielder Shane Robinson made an all-out catch for the final out in the ninth inning.
Kazmir, who entered with a 1.62 ERA, gave up six runs on seven hits over six innings to get his first loss. Gibson scattered just four hits and two walks to turn in his second straight outing without giving up a run.
"It's frustrating when you have games like this, but you gotta give credit to those guys," said Kazmir, who struggled with his cutter. "They went out there and made it happen. Quick runs early, their guy over there was throwing strikes, getting guys out quick and his guys back to the dugout."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rosario makes history: Rosario's first Major League at-bat couldn't have gone any better, as he crushed a first-pitch fastball from Kazmir for a homer to become just the 29th player in Major League history to homer on the first pitch of a career. He also became the first Twins player to do it, and just the sixth in franchise history to homer in a first career at-bat. More >
Video: OAK@MIN: Rosario hits a homer in first career at-bat
Twin City turbulence: Kazmir allowed as many runs in six innings Wednesday (six) as he had in his previous five starts combined. The lefty surrendered a season-high seven hits, including two home runs, and walked two with four strikeouts, finishing at 99 pitches. Smith entered in the seventh and allowed four runs, getting just one out. More >
Video: OAK@MIN: Escobar drives in two on a double to right
Gibson extends scoreless streak to 17 innings: Gibson has been rolling, as he threw eight shutout frames in his previous start and finished the start before that with three scoreless innings. He pitched out of a few jams, but still managed to get through six scoreless innings to get his second straight win. Gibson has a 1.65 ERA over his last five starts in 32 2/3 innings.
Video: OAK@MIN: Gibson shuts out Athletics for six innings
Missed opportunities: The A's let several scoring opportunities go to waste, stranding seven runners and finishing 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Twice, they put the leadoff man on and came away with nothing. Their best opportunity came in the fifth, when Brett Lawrie and Marcus Semien began the inning with back-to-back singles, but Eric Sogard flied out to shallow left and Coco Crisp grounded into a double play, finishing 0-for-4 in his season debut.
Video: OAK@MIN: Mauer makes grab to complete double play
QUOTABLE
"He came up there and got to do something that's pretty rare in this game, to hit the first pitch you see over the fence. It was exciting and a big run against a guy who is off to a really good start. It kind of got the ball rolling for us." -- Twins manager Paul Molitor, on Rosario's homer.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Of the 29 players to homer on a first career pitch, eight are pitchers, including Twins left-hander Tommy Milone, who is currently at Triple-A Rochester. The last player to accomplish the feat was outfielder Starling Marte with the Pirates in 2012.
The 13-0 win was the Twins' biggest margin of victory in a shutout since winning 15-0 over the Tigers on May 24, 1992.
WHAT'S NEXT
Athletics: Left-hander Drew Pomeranz will make his sixth start of the season in Thursday's series finale at Target Field. Pomeranz is 0-2 with a 6.20 ERA over his last four starts, after tossing seven shutout innings in his first outing. He has never faced the Twins in his career.
Twins: Right-hander Ricky Nolasco makes just his third start of the year in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Nolasco missed more than a month with right elbow inflammation before returning to start against the White Sox on Saturday. He gave up three runs over five innings in a win.
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