Twins 9, Athletics 6: Matthews' Seven Strong and Buxton's Four Runs

Seven quiet innings, then a ninth that got loud

August 24, 2026 - West Sacramento - Zebby Matthews handed the bullpen a 9-1 game after seven. The ninth still tried to ruin the night.

Yoendrys Gómez allowed a two-run double to Jeff McNeil, then back-to-back RBI doubles to Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler. Andrew Morris retired Tommy White on a lineout to first for his fourth save. Final: Minnesota Twins 9, Athletics 6.

Matthews had already done the hard part. Minnesota snapped a three-game skid because the starter and the middle of the order built a lead big enough to survive a messy last half-inning.

Buxton kept scoring. Bell kept driving him in.

Byron Buxton walked in the first after a successful challenge on a third-strike call. Josh Bell doubled off the top of the wall in left-center for a 1-0 lead. Bell's run-scoring groundout made it 2-0 in the second.

Butler singled home a run in the third for Oakland. Minnesota answered again. Kody Clemens drove in Buxton with RBI singles in the fifth and eighth. Luke Keaschall's two-run double and Bell's sacrifice fly in the sixth pushed it to 7-1. Rookie Kaelen Culpepper finished with four hits in his 14th big-league game and singled home Bell for the ninth run in the eighth. Ryan Kreidler homered. Buxton finished with three hits and four runs scored.

Matthews won his fourth straight August start

Matthews (8-8) threw seven innings, six hits, one run, seven strikeouts, one walk. He has won all four of his August starts. Tommy Nance threw a scoreless eighth before the ninth got messy.

Jeffrey Springs (3-12) lasted 4 2/3, four runs, seven hits, two walks. He has not won in 21 starts since three straight wins to open April. White's sacrifice fly in the eighth was Oakland's other run before the ninth explosion that still fell three runs short.

AthX Engine graded the starter first

AthX Engine put Matthews at 23 pitching fantasy points, second only to Kevin Gausman on Monday's board. Buxton scored 9 hitting fantasy points. The Twins finished with 15 team fantasy points. Fantasy points measure the night before the ninth got weird. Price is what the market pays for August starters who keep stacking wins.

What's next

Taj Bradley faces Gage Jump on Tuesday. A 9-6 that needs a save is still a win. Matthews made sure the bullpen had enough margin to waste a little of it.

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*Sources: ESPN game, ESPN box score, AP via KFGO, AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*