Blanton Keeps A’s in Position

OAKLAND —  Joe Blanton won his third straight start, Jason Kendall drove in three runs to match his season high and the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins, 8-3, on Tuesday night.

Mark Ellis had a two-run single for the A’s, who remained 1 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Angels.

Ellis has been Oakland’s most dangerous hitter lately, and he followed consecutive three-hit games with another big night.

Nick Swisher homered leading off the sixth for his 20th of the season and Mark Kotsay had an RBI double and a run-scoring single. Kendall finished with three hits, including an RBI double, in a game that started 11 minutes late because of rain.

Even another chase for the playoffs by the low-budget A’s hasn’t seemed to bring more excitement to the Coliseum, which had another poor night at the gates.

The game drew 18,014, a night after 15,262 came out as the A’s began a 10-game homestand to conclude their home schedule.

Blanton (11-11) gave up more than two runs for only the second time in his last 12 starts. Jacque Jones hit a two-run homer with none out in the sixth, but Blanton got out of the inning without further damage and that was it for him after 103 pitches.

The rookie gave up three runs and five hits, struck out two and walked three.

Francisco Liriano (0-1) didn’t last long in his second career start and fourth appearance overall.

The 21-year-old left-hander and former San Francisco Giant prospect gave up a leadoff walk to Ellis followed by Kendall’s RBI double, then retired seven straight before running into trouble.

The Twins acquired Liriano from the Giants in a trade that sent catcher A.J. Pierzynski to San Francisco before the 2004 season and also brought closer Joe Nathan to Minnesota.

Jones hit his 22nd homer in the sixth and Justin Morneau had an RBI double in the fourth for the Twins, who lost for the 10th time in 14 games.

Minnesota also may have lost outfielder Shannon Stewart for the rest of the season because of an injured left shoulder.