A’s hit four homers to back Montas, beat Twins 6-1

<p>MINNEAPOLIS &mdash; Ramón Laureano hit the first of Oakland’s four homers and Frankie Montas pitched six effective innings, helping the Athletics beat the sliding Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Friday night.</p>
<p>Sean Murphy and Stephen Piscotty each hit a two-run shot, and Mark Canha contributed a pinch-hit homer. The Athletics have won five of seven.</p>
<p>Montas (5-2) allowed one run and four hits in his third straight win. He is 3-0 with a 3.11 ERA in three May starts after posting a 6.20 ERA in five starts in April.</p>
<p>Matt Shoemaker (2-4) allowed three of the home runs for the Twins. He surrendered five runs in six innings. </p>
<p>Josh Donaldson homered for Minnesota, which has lost five games in a row.</p>
<p>Laureano connected for his eighth homer of the season, a two-out solo drive in the third. Murphy added his fifth homer in the fifth, and Piscotty followed an inning later with his fourth.</p>
<p>Montas kept the Twins off the board until Donaldson’s leadoff homer in the sixth.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Athletics: INF/OF Chad Pinder was reinstated from the injured list after missing 35 games with a sprained left knee. Vimael Machín was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas but will remain with the team on the road trip as part of the taxi squad. … LHP A.J. Puk was scheduled for another Triple-A rehab appearance on Friday for Las Vegas. He has missed 33 games with a strained left biceps. … Manager Bob Melvin said LHP Jesús Luzardo is throwing up to 60 feet in his rehab from a fractured left hand. Luzardo has not advanced to bullpen work yet.</p>
<p>Twins: OF Alex Kirilloff has been taking part in baseball activities, including taking dry swings, as he recovers from a right wrist sprain. … OF Byron Buxton (right hip strain) was playing catch before the game, but he hasn’t started running. There is still no timeline for his return.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>LHP Cole Irvin (3-4, 3.29 ERA) will start Saturday’s afternoon contest for Oakland. Minnesota counters with RHP José Berríos (3-2, 3.49 ERA). Irvin has a 2.01 ERA, 32 strikeouts and just four walks in 31 1/3 innings in his past five starts after going 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in his first two starts. Berríos allowed one run in five innings against the Athletics on April 20.</p>
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