MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins haven't lost much at Target Field this year. The Oakland A's found out the hard way.

Minnesota closed out its 11-game homestand with a 6-5 win on Thursday to take three of four from the A's. The Twins now have the best home record in the American League at 12-5.

"It was a good homestand for us," Twins first-year manager Paul Molitor said. "Grinding the game out today, it was challenging."

Left fielder Eduardo Escobar drove in two runs and Minnesota's bullpen worked four scoreless innings. The Twins finished the homestand with an 8-3 record.

After starting the year 1-6, Minnesota (16-13) is three games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2010 season.

"We knew we could do it, but talk is cheap," Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe said. "You've got to go out there and win, and that's what we've been doing lately."

Oakland (12-19) has lost four of seven games on its road trip and has not won more than two games in a row all season.

"We're just not putting enough together for a full game," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

Escobar broke a tie in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single to right field off reliever Dan Otero. Escobar's base hit scored second baseman Brian Dozier and third baseman Trevor Plouffe to put the Twins up 6-4.

Twins rookie right fielder Eddie Rosario, who homered Wednesday on the first pitch of his major league career, also drove in two runs. The first came in the third inning when his sacrifice fly to left brought in center fielder Shane Robinson to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead. Rosario later singled to center in the fourth to score catcher Kurt Suzuki and tie the score at 4.

Minnesota right-hander Ricky Nolasco labored through 94 pitches in five innings for the win. He surrendered four runs and six hits and struck out just one batter.

Oakland loaded the bases against Nolasco with nobody out in the second but managed just two runs on a sacrifice flies by third baseman Max Muncy and catcher Josh Phegley.

It was Nolasco's second start since coming off the 15-day disabled list with elbow inflammation. He gave up three runs in five innings in his first game back before Thursday's five-inning outing.

"A little bit of a struggle today," Nolasco said. "It was tough to get it going, but sometimes you just try to figure out a way just to keep your team there. The boys picked it up today with the offense, and the bullpen came in and I got lucky enough to get a win."

After a three-run second by the Twins, Oakland regained the lead in the third on a pair of two-out hits. Designated hitter Billy Butler singled to score center fielder Billy Burns on a full count to tie the score. First baseman Ike Davis doubled one batter later to score Butler, also on a full count, to put the A's up 4-3.

Davis hit his second home run of the year to lead off the sixth. His solo shot to right-center field was estimated at 417 feet. Davis finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

A's starter Drew Pomeranz was knocked out of the game after 4 1/3 innings. Although he gave up just three hits, Pomeranz walked five Twins.

Oakland's defense didn't help Pomeranz much. A throwing error on shortstop Eric Sogard kept the Twins' fourth inning alive. Minnesota took advantage of the two-out error when Rosario singled to drive in the tying run.

Four of the six runs against Pomeranz were earned. The Twins also scored an unearned run in the second on a throwing error by second baseman Brett Lawrie.

"We should be better defensively," Melvin said. "We have to continue to work to be better defensively because it's costing us games."

Twins manager Paul Molitor won his fifth manager's challenge of the season when Burns grounded out to shortstop to lead off the seventh. Burns was initially ruled safe, but replay showed first baseman Kennys Vargas applied the tag on Burns. Molitor is now 5-1 this season on challenges.

NOTES: Before Thursday's game, Oakland recalled RHP Fernando Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville. Rodriguez had a 2.81 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 16 innings of relief for Nashville. ... The Athletics designated RHP Chad Smith for assignment Thursday. Smith allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings with Oakland this year, including four runs in 1/3 of an inning in Wednesday's loss to Minnesota. ... Twins 1B Joe Mauer was not in the lineup Thursday, his first game off this season. Mauer is batting .287 with 14 RBIs in 28 games. ... Minnesota begins a six-game road trip with a three-game series starting Friday in Cleveland. ... Oakland heads west for a three-game series in Seattle beginning Friday before returning home Monday.