MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Twins did an awful lot of talking over the last week leading up to Sunday’s trade deadline. But GM Bill Smith couldn’t find the right deal to make, so the Twins stood pat as the deadline came and went.

General manager Bill Smith told several reporters in a conference call that he’d “rather make no deal than a bad deal.”

The Twins were looking for a reliever to bolster an overworked bullpen and had several players that other teams were interested in, including center fielder Denard Span and outfielders Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer.

Smith called the day “disappointing,” but said the team would continue to look at making deals in August. Any players traded in August have to pass through waivers before the deal can go through.

The Minnesota Twins did an awful lot of talking over the last week leading up to Sunday’s trade deadline. But GM Bill Smith couldn’t find the right deal to make, so the Twins stood pat as the deadline came and went.

General manager Bill Smith told several reporters in a conference call that he’d “rather make no deal than a bad deal.”

The Twins were looking for a reliever to bolster an overworked bullpen and had several players that other teams were interested in, including center fielder Denard Span and outfielders Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer.

Smith called the day “disappointing,” but said the team would continue to look at making deals in August. Any players traded in August have to pass through waivers before the deal can go through.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Read More: Jim Thome (DH – MIN), Ben Revere (CF – MIN), Minnesota Twins

After 90+ games of hugely inconsistent efforts, the Oakland Athletics are suddenly finding a groove. The offense was once again key as the A’s scored seven runs on 11 hits in marching to a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins, thus securing the series victory. The A’s offense has compiled eight or more hits in 16 straight games since the All Star break, which is now a club record.

The A’s fell behind early, but the offense kept them in it. Things looked ugly early as Ben Revere led the game off with a triple and then scored on a Joe Mauer groundout. The Twins added another run in the first as Danny Valencia drove in Michael Cuddyer with a groundout to third. The Twins would add a third run in the third inning as Jim Thome hit his 597th career home run.

That would be all the scoring for the Twins and the A’s would get all that back plus some. After Scott Sizemore grounded out to lead off the inning, the A’s proceeded to slap together six straight hits and score six runs. Jemile Weeks doubled to lead off the inning, then stole third. Coco Crisp reached on an infield single that scored Weeks. Hideki Matsui followed with a single sending Crisp to second, which Crisp followed by stealing third. This was followed by a Josh Willingham single, Conor Jackson single, Ryan Sweeney double and Cliff Pennington single. Kurt Suzuki lined into a 1-3 double play but six runs were on the board.

The A’s would add one more run on a Hideki Matsui sacrifice fly and that was more than enough for Brandon McCarthy. The A’s righty settled down and went six innings, giving up those three runs and not much else. The A’s bullpen faltered briefly as Craig Breslow got into some trouble. He loaded the bases with two outs but escaped by striking out Thome to end the inning. Grant Balfour and Andrew Bailey wrapped things up for the A’s.

The victory wrapped up a 5-2 homestand for the A’s and improves them to 10-6 since the All Star break and 49-59 overall. The A’s head on the road for a tough nine-game road trip to Seattle, Tampa Bay and Toronto. At 11 1/2 back, a strong road trip could at least keep things mildly interesting in August for the A’s.

Read More: twins baseball, minnesota twins baseball, athletics baseball, oakland athletics baseball, twins at athletics, twins vs athletics, twins athletics preview, Brandon McCarthy (P – OAK), Carl Pavano (P – MIN), Nick Blackburn (P – MIN), Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Twins at Oakland Athletics, Jul 31, 2011 3:05 PM CDT

It seems appropriate as of late that the Oakland Athletics play their home games at the Overstock.com Coliseum. . .because, lately, they really have been all about the “O.”

The Athletics, as a team, are hitting .315 since the All-Star break, and have collected at least eight hits in every game in that stretch. That includes the twelve they racked up on Saturday night in the process of thumping Nick Blackburn and the Minnesota Twins by a final score of 8-3.

In an attempt to win this three-game series, the Twins will send right-hander Carl Pavano (6-7, 4.60 ERA) to the mound. Pavano was blistered in his last start on Tuesday, allowing eight runs on nine hits in just five innings of work against the Texas Rangers, but wound up with a no-decision as the Twins’ furious comeback got them a 9-8 victory. He has faced the Athletics twice this season, and has been pretty successful. On April 8, Pavano worked eight solid innings, allowing just one run on four hits at Target Field in Minnesota’s 2-1 win. On May 18 at the Overstock.com Coliseum, Pavano allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in seven innings, but got a no-decision in a 4-3 Minnesota victory.

He will be opposed by Oakland right-hander Brandon McCarthy (3-5, 3.52 ERA). McCarthy has only made 14 starts this season, having gone on the disabled list on May 20 with a shoulder injury and not returning until July 4. In his last start, he was great against the Tampa Bay Rays, giving up just one run on six hits in eight innings in Oakland’s 6-1 victory. He has started twice against the Twins this season, and has also fared relatively well. On April 10 at Target Field, he pitched 7.1 solid innings, giving up two runs on nine hits in a 5-3 Athletics win. He also started opposite Pavano in the May 18 match-up mentioned earlier, and also got a no-decision, allowing three runs on nine hits in seven innings.

First pitch from Oakland is scheduled for 3:00 PM Central time. Be sure to keep an eye on Twinkie Town for the party that is the Game Thread, and we’ll be here for the recap when the game is finished.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Scott Sizemore hit a three-run double in the fifth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 8-3 on Saturday night.

Hideki Matsui singled twice and reached five times for the A’s, who snapped a three-game losing streak to the Twins. Matsui is batting a major league-best .473 since the All-Star break.

Oakland also got three hits from Conor Jackson and two from Coco Crisp, who is being mentioned in trade rumors as Sunday’s non-waiver deadline approaches. Cliff Pennington extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games and scored the go-ahead run in the second.

Jim Thome had two hits and an RBI for Minnesota, which missed an opportunity to gain ground on AL Central-leading Detroit. The Tigers lost 5-1 to the Los Angeles Angels.

Oakland also was working Saturday night to finalize a trade that would send right-hander Rich Harden to the Boston Red Sox. Neither team had made a formal announcement ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. EDT non-waiver trade deadline.

The oft-injured Harden is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA in five starts since coming off the 60-day disabled on July 1. He has been mentioned in trade talks for several weeks and could help bolster the Red Sox rotation with Clay Buchholz on the disabled list.

Guillermo Moscoso survived a shaky start to pitch 6 1-3 effective innings against Minnesota, winning for only the second time in his last 11 starts after opening his season with back-to-back wins over the Angels and Orioles.

Moscoso (4-5) allowed two runs — both in the first two innings — and seven hits. The rookie right-hander retired 14 of 16 during one stretch and left with a 7-2 lead.

Brad Ziegler, Grant Balfour and Andrew Bailey completed the eight-hitter for the A’s.

Nick Blackburn (7-8) struggled again for Minnesota, charged with seven runs, six earned, and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings. The right-hander walked five and struck out two.

Blackburn also started the Twins’ 20-6 loss to Texas last Monday and was tagged for nine runs in 2 2-3 innings.

Crisp, who singled and scored in the first, made it 8-2 when he scored on a passed ball in the sixth.

Matsui, Oakland’s biggest offseason acquisition, hit .209 in the first half but has been on a tear since the break. He walked in his first two plate appearances, singled and scored in the fifth and reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth.

Michael Cuddyer hit an RBI single in the first for Minnesota, winning a nine-pitch battle with Moscoso. Thome doubled and scored on Delmon Young’s single to make it 2-1 in the second.

Oakland pushed across two runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Jemile Weeks drove in Pennington with a triple, making it 3-2.

NOTES: The A’s placed RHP Michael Wuertz on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb injury and recalled LHP Jerry Blevins from Triple-A Sacramento. … RF David DeJesus was pulled in the third inning with what the A’s announced as right thumb soreness. … Twins star Joe Mauer went into the game with a career .324 average at the Coliseum but went 0 for 4.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Scott Sizemore hit a three-run double in the fifth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 8-3 on Saturday night.

Hideki Matsui singled twice and reached five times for the A’s, who snapped a three-game losing streak to the Twins. Matsui is batting a major league-best .473 since the All-Star break.

Oakland also got three hits from Conor Jackson and two from Coco Crisp, who is being mentioned in trade rumors as today’s non-waiver deadline approaches. Cliff Pennington extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games and scored the go-ahead run in the second.

Jim Thome had two hits and an RBI for Minnesota, which missed an opportunity to gain ground on AL Central-leading Detroit. The Tigers lost 5-1 to the Los Angeles Angels.

Oakland also was working Saturday night to finalize a trade that would send right-hander Rich Harden to the Boston Red Sox. Neither team had made a formal announcement ahead of today’s 3 p.m. CDT non-waiver trade deadline.

The oft-injured Harden is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA in five starts since coming off the 60-day disabled on July 1. He has been mentioned in trade talks for several weeks and could help bolster the Red Sox rotation with Clay Buchholz on the disabled list.

Guillermo Moscoso survived a shaky start to pitch 6Zc effective innings against Minnesota, winning for only the second time in his last 11 starts after opening his season with back-to-back wins over the Angels and Orioles.

Moscoso (4-5) allowed two runs – both coming in the first inning – and seven hits. The rookie right-hander retired 14 of 16 during one stretch and left with a 7-2 lead.

Brad Ziegler, Grant Balfour and Andrew Bailey completed the eight-hitter for the A’s.

Nick Blackburn (7-8) struggled again for Minnesota, charged with seven runs, six earned, and 10 hits in 4Zc innings. The right-hander walked five and struck out two.

Blackburn also started the Twins’ 20-6 loss to Texas last Monday and was tagged for nine runs in 2Xc innings.

Crisp, who singled and scored in the first, made it 8-2 when he scored on a passed ball in the sixth.

Matsui, Oakland’s biggest offseason acquisition, hit .209 in the first half but has been on a tear since the break. He walked in his first two plate appearances, singled and scored in the fifth and reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth.

Michael Cuddyer hit an RBI single in the first for Minnesota, winning a nine-pitch battle with Moscoso. Thome doubled and scored on Delmon Young’s single to make it 2-1 in the second.

Oakland pushed across two runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Jemile Weeks drove in Pennington with a triple, making it 3-2.

Minnesota Oakland

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Revere cf 4 1 1 0 JWeeks 2b 5 0 1 1

Plouffe 2b 4 0 0 0 Crisp cf 3 2 2 0

Mauer c 4 0 0 0 Matsui lf 3 1 2 0

Cuddyr 1b 4 1 1 1 Wlngh dh 4 1 1 1

Kubel rf 4 0 1 0 DeJess rf 1 0 0 0

Thome dh 4 1 2 1 Swny ph-rf 4 1 1 1

Tolbert pr 0 0 0 0 CJcksn 1b 4 1 3 0

Valenci 3b 4 0 1 0 Pnngtn ss 3 2 1 0

DYong lf 3 0 1 1 SSizmr 3b 3 0 1 3

Nishiok ss 3 0 1 0 Powell c 4 0 0 0

Totals 34 3 8 3 Totals 34 8 12 6

Minnesota 110 000 001— 3

Oakland 120 041 00x— 8

E—Mauer (2), Pennington (15). DP—Minnesota 1, Oakland 1. LOB—Minnesota 5, Oakland 9. 2B—Thome (9), Willingham (16), C.Jackson (14), Pennington (14), S.Sizemore (8). 3B—J.Weeks (5). SB—Revere (18), Crisp 2 (29). SF—Willingham.

IP H R ER BB SO

Minnesota

Blackburn L,7-8 4Zc 10 7 6 5 2

Swarzak 2Xc 1 1 0 1 4

Mijares 1 1 0 0 0 0

Oakland

Moscoso W,4-5 6Zc 7 2 2 1 2

Ziegler Xc 0 0 0 0 1

Balfour 1 0 0 0 0 0

A.Bailey 1 1 1 0 0 1

PB—Mauer.

T—2:56. A—19,605 (35,067).

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