Big Hurt Returns and Helps A's Win

Veteran claimed by '06 club after being released by Toronto
By Chip Bayers,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2008 6:24 PM CDT
Big Hurt Returns and Helps A's Win
Oakland Athletics' Donnie Murphy watches his home run off Minnesota Twins pitcher Brian Bass during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, April 24, 2008. Murphy homered twice in the game and had four RBIs to help the A's to an 11-2 win.    (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Frank Thomas won in his return to Oakland. Rajai Davis got three hits in his Athletics debut. With two new and familiar faces in the starting lineup, the A's jumped on Minnesota starter Francisco Liriano for six runs in the first inning on the way to an 11-2 victory over the Twins in the rubber game Thursday. Donnie Murphy hit solo shots in the fifth and sixth innings for his first and second homers of the season and first career multihomer game.

Mike Sweeney—whose playing time will probably diminish with the addition of Thomas—had a two-run double off the wall in left in the fourth, a day after connecting for his first home run in 40 games. Emil Brown hit a two-run single as the A's batted around in the first and chased Liriano (0-3) after only two-thirds of an inning. (More Oakland Athletics stories.)

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