Byron Buxton (5 RBIs), Twins extend A’s skid in rout

Byron Buxton tied his career high with five RBIs, highlighted a two-run double during a six-run second inning, and the Minnesota Twins extended the Athletics’ losing streak to seven games with a 10-4 win on Monday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Buxton also had a two-run single and a sacrifice fly for Minnesota, which had 14 hits and improved to 3-4 on their 10-game trip. Ty France went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Brooks Lee had two hits and two RBIs in the opener of a four-game set.
Joe Ryan (6-2) allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over five innings.
Lawrence Butler hit a three-run homer and doubled for the Athletics, who have lost 18 of their last 19 games.
Luis Severino (1-5) retired the Twins in order in the first inning before allowing six runs on six hits in the second.
With the bases loaded and one out, France singled in two runs. After Christian Vazquez flied out, Buxton doubled in two runs.
Buxton came around to score on Trevor Larnach’s single before Lee capped the rally with an RBI double.
The Athletics pushed a run across in the third when Butler drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Jacob Wilson’s double and scored on Brent Rooker’s groundout.
With two on and two outs in the fourth, Butler turned on a 3-2 fastball to cut the deficit to 6-4. The 413-foot blast was Butler’s ninth homer of the season.
The Athletics loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, but Ryan escaped unscathed after retiring the next three batters.
The Twins added to their lead with two runs in the sixth. Vazquez drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs before Buxton delivered a two-run single.
Severino yielded eight runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one.
Minnesota moved ahead 9-4 with two outs in the eighth on Lee’s RBI single. Buxton provided the final margin with a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Brock Stewart, Louis Varland, Justin Topa and Kody Funderburk each pitched a scoreless inning for the Twins, who have won 17 of their last 20 games against the Athletics.