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OAK@SF: Ross gives up two runs over six innings

Francisco Liriano will return to more familiar territory on Wednesday. The Twins just hope it will be more successful territory this time.

The former All-Star left-hander will make his first start on Wednesday against the A's after a short stint in Minnesota's bullpen. He was sent there after his first six starts saw him post a 9.45 ERA over 26 2/3 innings.

Liriano was frustrated by his rough start, but said his shift to the bullpen helped to clear his head. The 28-year-old made five appearances in relief, amassing a 4.91 ERA in 7 1/3 innings.

"I'm just looking forward to starting," Liriano said. "I've always been a starter -- that's what I want to do. I'm very happy and looking forward to trying to do my job and doing better at everything."

Manager Ron Gardenhire said Liriano wouldn't be working on a pitch count. Liriano said he feels fine -- both mentally and physically. His main focus is locating his fastball and keeping his pitches down in the strike zone.

"The bullpen didn't change anything," Liriano said. "I want to go out there and try to go deep in games, get quality starts, and give my team a chance to win ballgames."

Opposing Liriano for Oakland will be Tyson Ross, who has also struggled in his first six starts this season. The right-hander posted a 1-5 record and 7.36 ERA in those appearances, letting opponents hit .375 -- the highest among all pitchers with a minimum of 40 innings.

Left-handers have been particularly troubling for Ross, hitting .425 against the 25-year-old, the highest number against any American League pitcher.

Ross said he hopes continued work with his split-change will help him disrupt the current groove lefties find themselves in.

"I think I need to mess around with it more," Ross said. "Take some velocity off of it and just try to get that back-and-forth game going a little better."

A's: Melvin looks to ignite Crisp
Oakland manager Bob Melvin slid Coco Crisp from his normal No. 2 spot in the A's lineup to No. 8 on Tuesday. Melvin hopes the shift can get his center fielder trending in the opposite direction, after Crisp entered Tuesday with a .069 batting average since being activated from the disabled list last week.

"It's just kind of a break," Melvin said. "He'll hit second at some point in time. It's just more about giving him a change of scenery, taking the pressure off, that type of thing."

Early indications on Tuesday were favorable, as Crisp went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI.

• Right-hander Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. The goal is to determine McCarthy's readiness for his scheduled start on Saturday in Kansas City, the day he is eligible to come off the disabled list

Twins: Perkins operating effectively
Setup man Glen Perkins hasn't allowed a run in his last eight appearances. He's pitched 7 2/3 innings during that span, surrendering two hits while striking out 10. Opponents are batting just .179 against Perkins in the month of May.

• Center fielder Denard Span's 13 doubles were the second-most among Major League leadoff hitters entering Tuesday. Only Ian Kinsler (15) has more.

Worth noting
• Minnesota's 20 one-run games this season lead the American League. Meanwhile, Oakland had played in 10 one-run games, which is tied with Atlanta for baseball's fewest.

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