Twins’ Cuddyer hits go-ahead triple in 10th to lead Minnesota past A’s 3-2

Cuddyer on winning side this time

OAKLAND, Calif. — Michael Cuddyer hit a go-ahead triple in the 10th inning a night after he was called out in a game-ending play at home trying to score the tying run, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Cuddyer’s two-out triple off All-Star closer Andrew Bailey (4-3) scored Joe Mauer, who singled with one out.

Matt Guerrier (5-0) worked two scoreless innings for the win in this pitcher’s duel, a far cry from the offensive slugfest these teams exhibited a night earlier in Oakland’s 14-13 comeback victory. All-Star Joe Nathan finished for his 26th save in 28 chances and 20th straight.

Delmon Young hit an RBI triple in the fourth and Nick Punto followed with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2 for Minnesota, which squandered a 12-2 lead a night earlier. Cuddyer and manager Ron Gardenhire thought Cuddyer had beaten Michael Wuertz’s tag at the plate — and he looked safe on replay.

It was the biggest comeback in Oakland history and matched Minnesota’s worst collapse.

That game featured two grand slams, eight total home runs and 39 hits — 22 by Oakland.

There were only 11 hits Tuesday and runs were tough to come by.

Wuertz pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Bailey followed with a perfect ninth before running into trouble in the 10th.

The A’s took the early lead Tuesday on Adam Kennedy’s RBI groundout and a run-scoring single by Orlando Cabrera in the third.

Since 2007, 12 of the 23 games between these teams have been decided by one run.

Mauer was back in the Minnesota starting lineup after only a late-inning appearance Monday.

Twins third baseman Joe Crede also returned after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder. He got hurt making a diving catch Friday at Texas, but started Saturday before coming out with he felt tingling in his right hand.

Oakland starter Dallas Braden pitched seven strong innings, retiring eight of his final nine batters.

He had won two of his last three starts, but was tagged for a career-high 10 hits in five innings of a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels last Thursday. The left-hander and Oakland opening day starter came into Tuesday’s outing with the second-lowest run support in the American League at 3.45.

Twins starter Anthony Swarzak also hung tough and was helped by double plays in the first, second and fifth.

NOTES: Nathan hasn’t given up a run in his last 24 appearances. … Twins leadoff hitter Denard Span got the day off before a pinch-hit strikeout in the 10th and then a defensive appearance in the 10th. He is 2-for-19 on the road trip. … Injured A’s starter Justin Duchscherer, a two-time All-Star recovering from March elbow surgery, threw a 20-pitch simulated game in Arizona and is set to appear in a real game Monday. … Twins relievers Bobby Keppel and Brian Duensing weren’t available. … Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez, knocked out of Monday’s game after 2 2-3 innings, is scheduled to make his next start.