OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Khris Davis would enjoy nothing more than leading the big leagues in home runs and carrying the Oakland Athletics on a deep postseason run.
“It would be a nice achievement but first and foremost I want to get deep in the playoffs and get there,” he said. “That means a lot more.”
For now, he is slugging the A’s one step closer to a playoff berth.
Davis hit his second homer of the night leading off the bottom of the 10th inning for his career-high and majors-leading 45th, sending the Oakland Athletics past the Minnesota Twins 7-6 on Friday night.
Davis hit a 1-1 pitch from Matt Magill (3-3) over the fence in right-center for his fourth career walkoff homer. It was his 22nd multihomer game and seventh this season.
“Can’t explain it. There’s not a better feeling in the world,” Davis said. “I’m happy that we got the job done.”
He hit a two-run homer in the first, then connected again to end it, lowering the A’s magic number of three to clinch a wild card.
“It’s pretty dramatic how he started the game and ended the game,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s as good a power hitter as anyone in the game. . He has one-of-a-kind power.”
Pinch-hitter Mark Canha hit a tying two-run homer in the sixth after Minnesota went ahead in the top of the inning.
The Twins lost in walkoff fashion for the 14th time in 2018, 10th via the home run. Minnesota had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Oakland remained 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Astros in the AL West, 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the top wild card and 6 1/2 ahead of the Rays for the second wild card.
Blake Treinen (8-3) pitched the ninth for the A’s, coming off a 21-3 win against the Angels and 31 runs the past two games as they rebounded from a rare three-game losing streak.
“Davis, a guy you kind of want to avoid beating you, hits a couple of homers,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Canha connected for his second career pinch homer, also done July 14 at San Francisco, and that chased Gabriel Moya.
Jorge Polanco hit a go-ahead, three-run double in Minnesota’s six-run sixth and Robbie Grossman had a two-run homer in the inning.
Jonathan Lucroy added a sacrifice fly as the A’s won a third straight game following a rare three-game skid.
Minnesota starter Jose Berrios struck out eight with three walks over 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits.
Right-hander Liam Hendriks began as the A’s “opener” to throw an inning before Chris Bassitt followed with four innings.
SWINGING A’S
The A’s have scored seven or more runs in each of their last eight home games and 76 runs total - the longest in Oakland history and matching the longest in franchise history along with May 30-June 7, 1913, and July 14-20, 1932.
TOUGH VENUE
The Twins are 4-17 in Oakland since the start of the 2012 season - Minnesota’s most in a city outside the AL Central stops and topping 16 defeats at Yankee Stadium during that stretch. The Twins haven’t won a series at the Coliseum since May 18-19, 2011.
STATE OF THE A’S
President Dave Kaval told a “State of the A’s” gathering that the club will announce a site for a new ballpark, as well as a design for the privately funded venue. General manager David Forst also said it would be a priority to re-sign the club’s top players.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: 3B Miguel Sano went from Detroit home to Minneapolis for further tests as he continues to deal with discomfort behind his left knee from a hard slide Sept. 4. … 2B Logan Forsythe woke up with inflammation in his left knee and it’s “not functioning,” according to Molitor. “The hills of San Francisco is our best guess,” Molitor said. … An MRI on LF Eddie Rosario’s right quadriceps muscle showed inflammation. He might return this season, though the Twins will see him Tuesday to determine if there has been progress. … RHP Addison Reed is away from the team as he and his wife prepare to welcome a baby.
Athletics: RHP Trevor Cahill, scratched from his scheduled start last Saturday at Tampa Bay with a strain in his upper back before getting trigger-point injections, is slated to start Sunday as long as he has no further issues.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Chase De Jong (0-1, 3.68 ERA) makes his third start of the season and second of his career vs. the A’s seeking his first decision against Oakland.
Athletics: RHP Mike Fiers (12-7, 3.38) will match his career high with his 30th start of the year, also done in 2015 and ’16. He is 5-1 with a 3.09 ERA since being traded to the A’s by the Tigers on Aug. 6 and won at Minnesota on Aug. 25.
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