AMERICAN LEAGUE Resurgent Twins sweep Oakland, look to make run at division title

After a poor first half, Minnesota may be back on track.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- What a difference a three-day break made for the Minnesota Twins.
Doug Mientkiewicz hit a three-run homer and Torii Hunter added a two-run shot as Minnesota complete a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 6-4 victory Sunday.
Shannon Stewart went 4-for-4 with an RBI for the Twins, who have charged back to life after ending the first half with 22 losses in 28 games.
"We didn't even watch baseball," Hunter said. "A lot of guys went fishing, hung out with their families. We've got a brand new start."
Kenny Rogers (8-5) beat Ted Lilly in a drawn-out battle of two wild lefties, as Minnesota finished the season 8-1 against Oakland and swept a four-game set from the A's for the first time since August 1993.
The Twins also beat Oakland in the first round of the playoffs last year.
"We finished off a very big series," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Hopefully we'll be able to carry it over and get back in this race."
Erubiel Durazo hit a two-run double for Oakland, which hadn't been swept in a four-game series since April 1999 against Cleveland.
Poor pitching
After watching the Twins beat their "Big Three" -- Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder, the A's needed a strong start from Lilly (5-8) that they didn't get. He gave up six hits, six runs and three walks, striking out five but throwing 107 pitches in five innings.
"I felt good going in, but I put us in a bad situation," said Lilly, 2-6 with a 6.46 ERA in his last 11 outings.
Oakland plays at Kansas City today, with new No. 5 starter Rich Harden sure to be feeling some pressure in his major league debut against the Royals -- who won three of four from AL West-leading Seattle.
"He just has to go out there and show what he's got," A's manager Ken Macha said.
Oakland dropped a game in the standings to the Mariners over the weekend and is five games back. The A's are batting a major league-low .226 with 51 runs in 16 games this month.
"The whole year we've had a lack of production," said third baseman Eric Chavez, who's batting .212 in July. "We've only had spurts of offensive brilliancy."
Looking ahead
The Twins, who have two-game series with Seattle and Kansas City at the Metrodome this week, are 61/2 games behind the Royals.
"Hopefully they'll fall off, but if they don't, what can you do?" Hunter said.
Rogers wasn't a whole lot better than Lilly, surrendering six hits, three runs and a season-high five walks while striking out seven in 52/3 innings. He threw 111 pitches and also hit a batter.
Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 22nd save in 24 chances after demoted starter Joe Mays threw two perfect innings in relief after Oakland cut a five-run deficit to two.
"What can you say?" Gardenhire said. "That was a huge situation for us."