OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Eric Chavez, who earlier had an RBI double and a solo home run, added a two-run single in the eighth inning Saturday night that snapped a tie as the Oakland Athletics posted their 17th consecutive victory and tied a franchise record with a 6-3 triumph over the Minnesota Twins.
The win tied Oakland with the 1931 Philadelphia A's, who won 17 in a row from May 5-25. The streak is the longest in the major leagues since 1953, when the New York Yankees captured 18 straight from May 27-June 14.
"We're just enjoying the ride," said Oakland Manager Art Howe. "These guys are just finding ways to win every night. (Starting pitcher) Cory Lidle was the story tonight. The way he pitched, that's the only drawback to the win that he didn't get it because he certainly deserved it. Another tremendous performance on his part. Every time he goes out there, it's just been throwing zero after zero on the board and finally, he gave up an earned run tonight."
After being staked to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Lidle allowed back-to-back doubles in the sixth to end his streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run at 43 2/3.
"It's unbelievable," Lidle said of the winning streak. "I don't care if you're an All-Star team, someone tells you you're going to win 17 in a row. You don't believe it. But we're having a lot of fun playing together as a team. Everyone's picking each other up. We're going to try and take this as long as we can."
Howe lifted Lidle with one out in the sixth only to watch Ricardo Rincon and Jim Mecir surrender the lead and allow Minnesota to even the score, 3-3.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Chavez smacked the first pitch he saw from J.C. Romero into center, breaking his bat but plating two runs to give Oakland a 5-3 bulge.
Mecir (5-3) benefited from his heroics, gaining the win despite failing to hold the lead while Billy Koch pitched around a walk in the ninth for his 37th save.
Romero (8-2) allowed three runs and two hits, walking two while recording just two outs.
Minnesota starter Kyle Lohse pitched well, yielding three runs and four hits in seven innings. The righthander had one walk and four strikeouts while retiring 17 in a row from the first inning through the sixth before the solo blast by Chavez solo blast in the seventh.
"He was outstanding," said Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire of Lohse. "Kyle Lohse pitched his (butt) off. If we played a little better defense and are ready in the first inning, they don't get any runs off him. Right now, things are just rolling their way. They're hot. That's what happens when you're hot."
