Blanton, A’s make quick work of Twins

Joe Blanton and Carlos Silva kept pounding the strike zone inning after inning. Finally in the sixth, Oakland got to Silva -- and Blanton maintained his fast, efficient pace the rest of the way.

He pitched a career-best three-hitter, Shannon Stewart broke a scoreless tie with a double-play groundout, and the Athletics ended the Twins’ season-best five-game winning streak with a 1-0 victory Saturday night.

The game lasted just 1 hour 49 minutes, and was the second quickest in the majors this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Seattle beat the A’s, 2-0, on April 25 in Oakland in 1:47.

“I love going deep in games, eating innings and giving the bullpen a rest -- ‘Hey, Blanton’s pitching today, we don’t have to worry about it until the seventh, eighth, ninth,’ ” Blanton said.

“You just get in a pace and flow of the game and just run with it. I’m a guy who prides myself on my command.”

Blanton (5-3) worked ahead in the count all night and retired 19 of the last 20 batters to finish a 108-pitch performance.

“You don’t see that very often ... a right around 100-pitch complete game,” A’s Manager Bob Geren said. “He had all his pitches working, pretty much pinpoint control. Even his misses were just off the plate.”