Pablo López fans 14 to pitch Twins past Athletics in series finale

Byron Buxton had a solo homer and an RBI double in the victory.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on June 23, 2024. / D. Ross Cameron / USA TODAY Sports

Pablo Lopez matched a career high with 14 strikeouts across eight shutout innings and Byron Buxton had a solo homer and an RBI double as the Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 3-0 Sunday afternoon in Oakland, Calif., to win two of three in their series against the Athletics.

14 K PABLO DAY pic.twitter.com/nzf0bFbmCN

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) June 23, 2024

Buxton’s 432-foot solo homer to left-center field during the second inning plated the first run of the game for the Twins (43-35), and his RBI double in the seventh inning that scored Carlos Santana, who led off the inning with a single, doubled their advantage. Buxton went 2 for 3 overall with the two RBIs.

The next at-bat, Kyle Farmer grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice to make it a 3-0 Twins lead. 

Lopez, meanwhile, delivered a lights-out performance following some shaky starts in his last few outings. Lopez sent the Athletics (29-51) down in order through the fifth inning before finally allowing his first hit of the day — a Lawrence Butler single — during the sixth inning. 

That was one of just two hits that Lopez would allow all day, and it was quite the final line for Lopez: eight shutout innings while allowing just two hits and one walk and striking out 14 in the victory.

Lopez improved his season record to 7-6.

Lopez previously set his career high with 14 strikeouts during a 2-0 loss to the New York Mets on Sept. 10, 2023. According to The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman, Lopez is just the fourth pitcher in Twins history with multiple games with 14 or more strikeouts, joining Bert Blyleven (who did so three times), Johan Santana (3) and Camilo Pascual (2). Lopez now has eight career games with 10-plus strikeouts.

Pablo López joins Bert Blyleven (3x), Johan Santana (3x), and Camilo Pascual (2x) as the only pitchers in #MNTwins history with multiple 14+ strikeout games.

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) June 23, 2024

It’s also the second straight game in which a Twins starter has recorded at least 10 strikeouts after Bailey Ober fanned 10 while pitching a complete game in a 10-2 Twins win over the A's on Saturday. 

A's starter Hogan Harry allowed the three runs off five hits while fanning a pair across six in the loss.

With the Twins unable to add any more insurance after the two-run seventh, they turned to Griffin Jax for the ninth. Jax struck out Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday lined out before Miguel Andujar singled.

But Jax then struck out former Twin Brent Rooker to pick up the save, his seventh of the season.

The Twins have an off day on Monday before they continue their road trip on Tuesday when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:40 p.m.