Minneapolis, MN -- (Sports Network) - Mike Redmond stroked a pair of run-scoring singles to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the finale of a three-game series at the Metrodome.

Justin Morneau also knocked in a run and Francisco Liriano threw five solid innings to earn the victory for the Twins, who won the final two games of the series after dropping the opener and remained one game behind the White Sox in the AL Central, as Chicago thumped Seattle 15-3 on Wednesday afternoon.

"When you're in a pennant race in August, it's important to win your series," said Minnesota's Nick Punto. "We're chasing the White Sox, [and] they're playing really well. We have to expect they're going to win, too. So, we have to stay with them."

Minnesota wrapped up a nine-game homestand with a 7-2 mark and continued its strong play at the Metrodome. The Twins haven't lost a series at home since June 3-5 against Baltimore and are 30-9 in the dome since June 1.

Now comes the Twins' longest road trip of the season and longest for the franchise since 1969 -- a 15-day, 14-game trek through Anaheim, Seattle, Oakland and Toronto.

"This road trip's big," said Morneau. "We have to play well. It's going to be a battle every day, but we're going to go out and try to win."

Liriano (4-3) surrendered an unearned run on five hits and three walks while striking out five. He has won each of his four starts with an earned run average of 1.14 since returning to the majors in August.

Dallas Braden (3-3) took the loss for Oakland, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven.

"Today was one of our better games," said Oakland manager Bob Geren. "We played pretty well and Dallas pitched pretty well. He threw strikes."

Jack Cust knocked in the lone run for the Athletics, who have lost four of their last five and set a club record since moving to Oakland in 1968 by dropping their 11th straight series. The A's haven't won a series since taking three of four from Seattle from July 7-10.

The Twins snapped a 1-1 tie with a run in the third inning. Carlos Gomez led off with a bunt single, took second when Denard Span was hit by a pitch and scored on a base hit to left field by Redmond.

Oakland stranded a runner at third in the top of the sixth when Mark Ellis was called out on strikes, and Minnesota tacked on a run in the bottom of the frame.

Punto led off the home sixth with a single, stole second and scored on a base hit to center by Redmond. The Twins went on to load the bases with one out later in the inning, but Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris struck out to keep it a two-run game.

Minnesota's bullpen, after Liriano threw 107 pitches over five innings, held Oakland hitless for the final four innings, with Joe Nathan working the ninth for his 34th save.

Oakland grabbed the lead in the first with an unearned run. Ellis reached on an error to start the game, advanced to second on a one-out single by Emil Brown and scored on an infield single by Cust. Punto flagged down Cust's ball with a dive, but Ellis kept running around third and slid home ahead of the second baseman's wide throw to the plate.

The Twins answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it. Span led off with a walk and Punto singled him to second. The runners advanced on a ground ball to first by Redmond and Span raced home on a base hit by Morneau. A double play grounder by Delmon Young ended the inning.

Oakland threatened in the second when Ellis doubled with two outs to put runners on second and third, but Kurt Suzuki lined out to Harris at shortstop.

Game Notes:

The Athletics last lost 11 straight series from August 5 through September 4, 1960 when the franchise was based in Kansas City...The Twins are 16-3-3 in series at the Metrodome this season...Oakland heads to Seattle for the start of a four-game series on Thursday...Following the game, the Twins activated infielder Alexi Casilla off the 15-day disabled list and outrighted pitcher Brian Bass to Triple-A Rochester. Casilla had been sidelined since July 29 with a torn ligament in his right thumb.