A’s Ruin Opener 8-3

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes proved he can play through a hurting right heel, giving Scott Kazmir and the Oakland Athletics a spark with a pair of RBIs that helped spoil the Minnesota Twins' home opener with an 8-3 victory on Monday.

Cespedes has been hobbling around the last few days with the injury, but the team wasn't worried enough about it to hold him out of the lineup. The Cuban slugger followed a leadoff walk to Brandon Moss by crushing a double in the second inning for the first run against Kevin Correia and hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Kazmir, who stymied with Twins in five starts against them last season for Cleveland, completed six innings with six hits, three runs and four walks allowed.

TWINS NOTES

NEW YORK (AP) — Eduardo Nunez's time with the Yankees ended after a decade when the infielder was traded to the Minnesota Twins for left-hander Miguel Sulbaran.

The deal was announced Monday. The Twins assigned Nunez to Triple-A Rochester.

Signed by the Yankees in 2004, Nunez came up to the major leagues in 2010 and was seen as a possible successor to Derek Jeter at shortstop. But he struggled defensively, was beaten out by Yangervis Solarte during spring training for a backup infield job and was designated for assignment last week.

The 26-year-old Nunez hit .267 in 270 games for the Yankees with 10 homers and 76 RBIs.

The 20-year-old Sulbaran was 9-4 with a 2.96 ERA last year at Class A Great Lakes and Cedar Rapids. He is 21-10 with a 3.15 ERA in 45 starts and 10 relief appearances in the minor league systems of the Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Twins place Bartlett on DL with sprained ankle

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have placed utility man Jason Bartlett on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle and recalled catcher-outfielder Chris Herrmann from Triple-A Rochester.

The move was made before the team's home opener on Monday against Oakland.

Bartlett was hurt on Sunday at Cleveland after replacing left fielder Josh Willingham, whose left wrist was hit by a pitch. Willingham was out of the lineup on Monday, as was right fielder Oswaldo Arcia for the third straight game because of a sore right wrist.

The Twins have only two other healthy natural outfielders, Aaron Hicks and Jason Kubel. Backup first baseman Chris Colabello was in right field on Monday.

Herrmann hit .204 in 57 games last season for the Twins