Buxton ties career high with 5 RBIs as Twins roll A's

WEST SACRAMENTO -- In retrospect, it’s easy not to be surprised by Byron Buxton's immediate surge upon returning from the injured list. He’s one of the most skilled and talented players in baseball, a veteran who knows his swing.

And yet, there was no guarantee at all. Buxton missed two weeks due to a concussion, did not go on a Minor League rehabilitation assignment, and still, it’s as though he never left.

Buxton continued his torrid pace since returning from the 7-day concussion injured list on Monday night, driving in a career-high-tying five runs as the Twins fought off the Athletics, 10-4, at Sutter Health Park. Four of Buxton’s RBIs came with two outs, as did seven of Minnesota’s 10 runs.

He lofted a two-run double to left field in the second inning, drilled a two-run single the opposite way in the sixth, and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth for good measure. In three games since returning from the IL, Buxton has six hits, eight RBIs and four runs scored.

"I might not show it,” he said, “but just having that thought of taking a couple games to get your swing back. That’s kind of the thought when you miss 11 games. Then you start getting the creeps, ‘Do I need to go on a rehab assignment, see pitching?’”

Minnesota jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, with Buxton’s two-run double one of the key blows in a six-run second inning. Athletics starter Luis Severino stiffened from there, though, and the A’s chipped away until it was a two-run game. But in the sixth, the Twins rallied again with two outs, with Buxton driving in two more on a single.

That hit was one of the defining moments of the game. Before the single, the tone of the evening had shifted from the Twins being firmly in command, to feeling like a real battle. Buxton’s 106.1 mph laser through the hole and into right field reestablished the visitors’ position.

"You can definitely feel the momentum switch,” said Ty France, who scored on the play. We’re still winning, 6-4, but you can feel it kind of switch over to that side, and for us to put that inning together and get the big knock, it switched back to our side, and we just ran with that. That single by Buck played a huge difference in this game.”

It was also maybe the most telling sign about how locked-in Buxton is.

"I don’t go that way too much anyway,” he said. “So when I do and it’s hit hard like that, I know I’m in a good spot as far as going up there not trying to do too much.”

For Buxton, it was all a continuation of his outstanding performance since he was activated from the 7-day concussion injured list. He missed two weeks following a collision with Carlos Correa in Baltimore on May 15. In part due to his previous concussion history, he was slower to return than Correa. But it’s clear that once he was cleared, he was ready to go.

"Buck’s been having tremendous at-bats,” said manager Rocco Baldelli. “These at-bats were just terrific today. He was on a lot of pitches. He even missed a few of them and fouled them off. Shooting that ball through the right side, seeing them deep, you only do that when you’re trying to let the ball travel. Not be out in front on potential breaking balls, he let it travel. And he didn’t just hit a ground ball the other way, that ball was smoked the other way.”