Rangers Rally By Orioles

After coming within a few inches of hitting for the cycle, Denny Hocking was more than satisfied to settle for five hits Thursday night.

Hocking went 5-for-6, including two doubles and a two-run homer, and the Minnesota Twins stopped a five-game losing streak with a 10-5 win over the error-ridden Oakland Athletics.

Needing a triple to hit for the cycle, Hocking drove a ball just foul down the left-field line in the ninth, then struck out. Hocking said he came to bat knowing he needed a triple to complete the cycle and get his sixth hit.

Twins manager Tom Kelly said everyone in the dugout was hoping "he could hit it down the right-field line and get a triple somehow."

Hocking had three RBIs for the Twins, who squandered an early five-run lead but then broke open the game with four runs in the seventh. Minnesota had 18 hits after getting just 16 while losing three games at Seattle this week.

In the final game against the Mariners, the Twins were shut out on four hits.

"Eighteen hits. That's a lot of hits," said Jacque Jones, who added four singles and two RBIs. "Only in baseball can you get four hits one day and 18 the next."

Corey Koskie also had an RBI single for Minnesota. Matt Lawton and Butch Huskey had run-scoring groundouts, and the Twins scored two runs on errors by the A's, who made four errors while losing their third straight.

"We have to shore up the defense. We just have to catch the ball better," A's manager Art Howe said. "Generally speaking, when you make errors you're going to lose. You give teams extra outs and it's going to hurt you."

Mark Redman (3-0), making his third start of the season after eight relief appearances, allowed only five runners and all five scored. He pitched six innings, giving up five runs and five hits.

Randy Velarde and Miguel Tejada hit two-run homers for the A's and Terrence Long had an RBI double.

Luis Vizcaino (0-1), the second of four A's pitchers, was the loser. He allowed one run and three hits in two innings.

Minnesota scored three in the first and led 5-0 in the third inning. The A's tied the game with three in the third and Tejada's sixth homer of the season in the fourth.

Huskey broke the tie in the sixth, and Hocking hit his second homer of the season as the Twins made it 10-5 in the seventh. It was just the seventh win in 20 road games for Minnesota this season.

A's starter Kevin Appier, making his second start since missing three weeks with a strained right forearm, lasted just three innings. Appier, who made his 300th career appearance, allowed five runs on nine hits. Only two of the runs were earned.

"I wasn't good, but you have to credit the Twins. I messed up a little, but they hit a bunch of good pitches for hits. Before I knew it I was done," Appier said. "They stockpiled a number of hits. It was a bummer night for us."

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