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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Leave it to a pair of former Oakland Athletics to end one of the worst skids the Minnesota Twins have ever had against another club. Kurt Suzuki hit a tiebreaking double and Josh Willingham added two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Twins snapped a 12-game losing streak to Oakland by beating the As 6-1 on Sunday. "Theyve had their way with us," said Willingham, who played for the As in 2011. "If we wouldve come in here and lost today, that wouldve been a very big disappointment. We needed to get this win." Brian Dozier connected for his 20th homer in the first before Suzuki and Willingham each had a big hit against Luke Gregerson (2-2) in the eighth. Minnesota scored two more in the ninth to avoid a four-game sweep with its first win over the As since last September. Only 13-game losing streaks to the New York Yankees (2002-2003) and Texas Rangers (1998-1999) top the Twins skid to Oakland. "Its just one of those things," Suzuki said, struggling to find an explanation. Phil Hughes (12-8) allowed four hits in seven innings for his second straight victory. He came out because of a cracked nail on his right index finger, which he glued back on in the clubhouse -- something he said he has done throughout his career and shouldnt keep him from making his next start. Stephen Vogts RBI single in the first accounted for the As only run. The poor offensive effort wasted a second straight superb start from Jason Hammel, who gave up four hits and one run in 6 1-3 innings. Hammel, who beat Tampa Bay his last time out, had lost his first four starts with Oakland after being acquired in a July 4 trade with the Chicago Cubs that also sent Jeff Samardzija to the AL West leaders. "This is the best hes pitched from what Ive seen," As manager Bob Melvin said. After they each allowed a run in the first, Hammel and Hughes quickly corrected most of the mistakes they made the rest of the way. But the biggest blunder might have been a self-inflicted one by the Twins. With two runners on in the seventh, Jordan Schafer whiffed at a bunt and Eduardo Nunez was tagged out between third and home. Fernando Abad struck out Schafer on the next pitch. Minnesota more than made up for the mistake in the eighth and ninth innings. LOST IN THE SUN Suzuki, who was a catcher for the As from 2007-12 before returning for 15 games late last season, should know more than anybody on the Twins about how difficult the sun can be in Oakland during day games. Instead, Suzuki provided one of Sundays best bloopers when he never turned to catch Josh Reddicks popup that bounced off the warning track behind the plate in the fourth. Reddick drew Oaklands only walk off Hughes in the at-bat. "They said I missed it. But I didnt think I missed it because I didnt even try to go for it," Suzuki joked. "It doesnt count as a miss." TRAINERS ROOM Twins: First baseman Joe Mauer, who has been out since July 1 with a strained muscle on his right side, is expected to be activated at Houston on Monday. Infielder Trevor Plouffe (sore left foot) and outfielder Oswaldo Arcia (lower back pain) sat out. Both are day to day. Athletics: Shortstop Jed Lowrie got the day off to rest his bruised right index finger, which sidelined him for three games last week. Hes expected to start Monday at Kansas City. UP NEXT Twins: Minnesota will call up former As lefty Tommy Milone from Triple-A Rochester to start Monday in Houston. Milone was dealt to the Twins at the July 31 trade deadline for outfielder Sam Fuld after going 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA for Oakland this season. Athletics: Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.87 ERA), the AL Pitcher of the Month for July, tries to rebound from back-to-back losses in August when he goes in the opener at Kansas City. Cheap James Worthy Jersey . Nat Borchers headed in the sole goal in the 54th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman free kick. The defeat cost Sporting top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even a draw would have moved the Kansas City club above Columbus. Cheap Isaac Bonga Jersey . His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. http://www.cheaplakersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-kobe-bryant-jersey . Fans in the Jets viewing region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 5:30pm ct and listeners can tune in to TSN Radio 1290 Winnipeg. Cheap Michael Beasley Jersey . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Cheap Magic Johnson Jersey . Some members of the U.S. Congress arent so sure. They say Russia isnt doing enough to assure that athletes will be protected at the Feb. 7-23 games, happening not far from an Islamic insurgency that Russias huge security apparatus has struggled for two decades to quell. Russia may run greater risks in towns outside the tightly controlled Olympic zone. Suicide bombs last month a few hundred kilometres (miles) away have increased concerns, and an Islamic warlord has urged his followers to attack the Sochi Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putins pet project. ST. LOUIS -- With Vladimir Tarasenko and T.J. Oshie both out of the St. Louis Blues lineup, captain David Backes stepped up to fill the void. Backes scored twice in the third period, giving him 23 goals on the season, and the Blues skated to a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night. One of Backes goals never even reached the net. He was awarded a goal with 1:11 left when he broke in on the Jets empty goal and was pulled down by Jacob Trouba. "That doesnt happen a whole lot," Backes said. "Sometimes when things arent going perfect for you, you take them any way you can get them. Hopefully, its the start of a little streak here." Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice wasnt too pleased that it happened Monday. "I dont think that game should have gone to 3-1," Maurice said. "I dont think thats an automatic goal. I dont think its a slash. He goes down, maybe they locked feet. But its not unimpeded progress. That game should be still 2-1 in my mind. "But 2-1 is still a deficit for us." Ryan Miller made 16 saves for the Blues, who are 7-0-1 since he was acquired by trade from Buffalo. St. Louis has won three straight and eight of nine. Western Conference-leading St. Louis has an NHL-best 101 points. It is the sixth time in franchise history that the Blues have reached 100 points. Backes has 23 goals this season. Brendan Morrow added a goal, and Jay Bouwmeester had two assists in the Blues win. Eric ODell had the lone goal for Winnipeg, and Al Montoya mmade 23 saves.dddddddddddd Montoya thought his team fell into the Blues trap. "This is what that team does," Montoya said. "They get up by a goal and they hold the fort." Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said his team could easily have had a bigger lead. "We made a game of it because we couldnt pull away in the second period when we had all the scoring chances," Hitchcock said. "We really played well in the second period." Tarasenko is expected to miss six weeks because of a hand injury sustained Saturday against Nashville. Oshie, whose first child was born earlier Monday, should be back for Wednesdays game at Chicago. Backes broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal at 13:09 of the third period when he swatted in a rebound of Ian Coles shot. After a listless first period, St. Louis took a 1-0 lead just 1:44 into the second. After Winnipegs Devin Setoguchi failed to control a bouncing puck, Derek Roy took it and broke in on left wing. He centred a pass to Morrow on the right side for a shot into the open net. The Jets took advantage during 4-on-4 play to tie it at 1:55 of the third. Evander Kane skated down left wing with ODell on a 2-on-1 break. Kane centred a pass to ODell, who faked a shot and then beat Miller with a backhand. NOTES: St. Louis is 38-1-5 when scoring first and 30-0-4 when leading after two periods. ... Winnipeg is 8-13-5 against the Central Division. ... Hitchcock moved into sole possession of third place on the teams career win list with 119. 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