Eight games into the season, the Twins are still waiting for their first quality start. But sometimes quantity can be just as valuable as quality.
For the second night in a row, Minnesota got seven innings out of its starting pitcher Wednesday. And for the second night in a row, the starter got the win.
This time it was right-hander Carlos Silva who limited the A's to eight hits but allowed five runs. A control artist, Silva didn't walk a batter, and he registered just one strikeout. Thanks to some strong run support -- six runs in the first five innings -- Silva evened his record at 1-1 with the 6-5 victory.
A night earlier, Brad Radke went seven innings and allowed four runs in Minnesota's 7-6 win.
REPLAY: Justin Morneau homered for the second consecutive game, and his three-run, third-inning blast off Oakland's Esteban Loaiza helped the Twins edge the A's 6-5.
Torii Hunter homered and scored three runs for the Twins, who have won back-to-back one-run decisions after a 1-5 start.
NOTES:
RHP Joe Nathan, who went through the season's first week without a save opportunity, posted his second save in as many nights. He pitched a perfect ninth inning Wednesday, striking out two, to secure a 6-5 win over Oakland.CF Torii Hunter homered, doubled and scored three runs Wednesday. He went 2-for-2 against Oakland RHP Esteban Loaiza, improving his career average against the veteran to .477 (21-for-44).OF Jason Kubel was back in right field Wednesday after OF Michael Cuddyer got the start in the home opener due to his edge in experience. Kubel went 1-for-2.1B Justin Morneau hit his fourth homer of the season Wednesday, giving him home runs in back-to-back games.OF Lew Ford sat out Wednesday's game with a sore left hamstring.RHP Carlos Silva continued the Twins' season-long trend by failing to post a quality start, but he still got the win with seven innings of five-run ball against the A's.