AL RECAP (OAKLAND-MINNESOTA) MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Doug Mientkiewicz's RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 15th inning lifted the Minnesota Twins to a 2-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Todd Walker led off the Twins' half of the 15th with a shot down the right-field line that one-hopped the wall for a double. Denny Hocking's bunt went between Doug Jones (1-1) and third baseman Eric Chavez, resulting in a single, and Matt Lawton was intentionally walked to load the bases. After Ron Coomer struck out, Mientkiewicz took the first pitch from Jones for a ball before lining a shot through the shortstop hole for the game-winning hit. "I was just glad we had a chance to win," Mientkiewicz said. "We made a lot of mistakes on the basepaths tonight, but we got a chance that we haven't been getting lately." Oakland manager Art Howe pulled left fielder Tony Phillips into the infield for the final two batters, but Phillips was on the right-field side of second base when Mientkiewicz ended the contest five minutes shy of five hours. It was Minnesota's longest game since it lost a 17-inning marathon in Cleveland, 10-9, in six hours, 36 minutes on May 7, 1995. Travis Miller (1-0) picked up the win in his first appearance of the season by tossing a perfect 15th. "It's a shame we didn't score runs for (LaTroy) Hawkins, that is the best he has pitched all year," Mientkiewicz added. Hawkins allowed one run and five hits over 6 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out four. Jimmy Haynes started for Oakland and surrendered just six hits over six scoreless innings. "It was just one of those days," said Hawkins. "I hope I can go out there and do it again in my next start. The last few games I've been throwing more strikes and getting ahead of guys and I've been hitting my spots." "We pitched a great game tonight," said Twins manager Tom Kelly. "All of our pitchers did a great job. Give the pitchers credit, they have been getting raked over the coals lately. This should give them some confidence." The teams battled to a scoreless tie through six innings before the Athletics jumped on top in the seventh as Chavez drew a one-out walk and scored on Miguel Tejada's double to the left-center field gap. Minnesota wasted no time tying it in the bottom of the inning. Marty Cordova, Javier Valentin and Cristian Guzman all singled -- Guzman's single was a bunt -- against Buddy Groom before T.J. Mathews walked Lawton to force in a run. The Twins could not push across another run as Coomer grounded out. Chad Allen had a one-out single in the 11th for the Twins but was caught stealing and Minnesota blew a chance in the 14th as A.J. Pierzynski and Guzman both stranded Mientkiewicz at second. Oakland's best chance to score in extra innings came in the 14th. Chavez led off with a single and, after Tejada struck out, advanced to second on Mike Trombley's wild pitch. Jason McDonald walked but Phillips popped to shallow center and pinch-hitter Scott Spiezio flew to left. "We had a lot of opportunities with two outs and in those kind of situations, you are not going to do a lot of damage," said Oakland first baseman Jason Giambi, who went 1-for-4 with three walks. The Athletics left 13 runners on base, while Minnesota stranded 14. --=-=-- 