BC-BBA–Twins-Athletics,0368

Twins 3, Athletics 2, 10 innings

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Shannon Stewart scored from first base when Bobby Crosby dropped a fly ball in the 10th inning Saturday, lifting the Minnesota Twins over the Oakland Athletics 3-2.

Stewart beat out an infield single against Jim Mecir (0-3) with one out. Cristian Guzman flied out, and Stewart ran on an 0-1 pitch to Doug Mientkiewicz, who hit a soft fly to shallow left field. Crosby jogged to make the catch, and the ball bounded off his glove into the bullpen area for an error.

Mientkiewicz wound up on second. After an intentional walk to Corey Koskie, pinch-hitter Mike Ryan struck out.

J.C. Romero (1-2) pitched 2 2-3 innings, helping the Twins win their third extra-inning game in five days. Joe Nathan struck out the side in the 10th around a walk for his eighth save in nine chances.

Oakland has lost four of six and 10 of 14 overall, and nine of its last 10 against Minnesota. The A’s left the bases loaded in the ninth when Romero threw a called third strike past Erubiel Durazo.

A’s starter Tim Hudson allowed nine hits in nine innings. After giving up three hits in the fourth, he retired 15 of his next 17 batters.

Hudson, 3-1 in seven starts, has 24 no-decisions over the past three seasons, leaving with a lead 14 times.

Torii Hunter’s RBI single put Minnesota ahead in the first, but Jermaine Dye tripled home Mark Kotsay following a four-pitch walk in the bottom half.

Jacque Jones homered in the fourth. Adam Melhuse retied it with a homer off Seth Greisinger in the bottom half.

Greisinger, who lost Tuesday’s 16-inning game at Seattle, allowed six hits in a season-high five innings, throwing 92 pitches.

Notes: A’s OF Mark Kotsay left after the fifth inning because a sore right knee. … Hunter remained at designated hitter for a second straight day to help his tender right hamstring. … Greisinger has not won in the majors since May 2002 for Detroit. … It was the 36th anniversary of Catfish Hunter’s perfect game at the Coliseum. … Guzman is 11-for-29 (.379) in the No. 2 slot, 23-for-80 (.288) elsewhere in the batting order.

AP-ES-05-08-04 1930EDT