Lopez allows 1 hit in 5 innings as A’s beat Twins 2-0

MINNEAPOLIS — Jacob Lopez allowed just one hit over five innings as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Minnesota Twins 2-0 on Friday night. Lopez improved to 5-4, having surrendered two runs or fewer in three of his last four starts since returning to the major leagues. He spent June with the Triple‑A Aviators after posting a 6.75 ERA through May 31. The Athletics were hitless through the first four frames until Tommy White doubled with one out in the fifth. A fielding mishap on both sides of White’s triple loaded the bases, and Lawrence Butler followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Donovan Walton for Oakland’s first run. White almost extended the lead on a chaotic throw that would have tripled the advantage, but he was tagged out at home by Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews for the third out of the inning. Tyler Soderstrom added an insurance run in the sixth, singling home Henry Bolte from second to make it 2-0. Matthews (4-8) took the loss, giving up both runs on three hits while walking three and striking out one across six innings. Austin Martin doubled and Ryan Jeffers singled for Minnesota’s only hits. Oakland’s bullpen combined for one hit allowed over the final four innings, with Hogan Harris recording a hitless ninth for his eighth save. The victory marks the Athletics’ fifth straight win over Minnesota, reversing a stretch in which they went 3-19 in their previous 22 meetings.