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Plouffe hitting his stride in September stretch

Twins third baseman benefiting from sessions with hitting coach Brunansky

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe has been swinging a hot bat lately, and he credited hitting coach Tom Brunansky for helping him find his swing after struggling coming out of the All-Star break.

Plouffe has been on fire in September, as his 15 hits entering Tuesday night's series opener with the A's were the second most in baseball and his .441 average is the fourth-highest mark in the Majors. He'd also hit .400 with two homers and four doubles over his previous 13 games.

"I'm just up there trying to have good at-bats," Plouffe said. "Bruno and I have been working hard. I struggled to start the second half, but I'm not just going to lay it down. I'm going to continue to work the whole season."

Manager Ron Gardenhire said he's noticed a difference with Plouffe at the plate, especially since the club's recent road trip against the Rangers and Astros.

"He's confident right now," Gardenhire said. "He's seeing the ball well and he's also made some good plays defensively. So, he's been playing well for us and it started on the road."

Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger.
Read More: Minnesota Twins, Trevor Plouffe