Athletics top Twins 7-4 Butler homers Williams 2-run triple spark win

Lawrence Butler continued his hot stretch by going 1-for-3 with a solo homer as the Athletics topped the Twins, part of a surge that has included getting on base in 15 of his last 16 games. Since late July, he’s slashed around .310/.384/.580 with seven homers and 16 RBI in 28 games, a resurgence that has helped Oakland play spoiler against playoff hopefuls. Manager Mark Kotsay and teammates praised Butler’s daily contributions and the mindset of “next man up” as the A’s leaned on him to impact games in multiple ways. In a 7-4 win that clinched the series, Butler’s seventh-inning homer capped the scoring while J.T. Ginn was the Twins’ starter and Elvis Alvarado secured the save. His earlier season struggles, including a low batting average around .158 at one point, underscored just how far he’s come as Oakland’s offense has rebounded. The A’s have won four of five after a rough stretch, with Butler providing a key bright spot as they chase down remaining playoff opportunities.