Twins continue dominance of White Sox with 9-3 win
The Minnesota Twins got a step closer to wining their second division title in a row and third in five seasons with a 9-3 win over their division rival, the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
With the season winding down the White Sox needed to sweep the Twins to stay in contention in the division. They appeared to have a chance to pick up a win in the first game of the series until the Twins
put the game out of reach in the seventh and eighth innings.
Neither team scored till the fifth inning when both scored a pair of runs to tie the game at 2-2. Chicago took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when A.J. Pierzynski grounded in to a bases-loaded
double play that scored Paul Konerko.
The lead was short-lived though. Minnesota scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning to retake the lead. Chicago threatened to take it back yet again in the bottom of the seventh inning with bases loaded
and only one out. Twins reliever Jesse Crain struck out both Konerko and Manny Ramirez to end the threat.
“They really wanted a sweep and if they did that they would have been right back in the thick of things. It’s still not over. To be able to come in here and take this game has got to hurt them a little bit.
It’s a huge win. Probably one of the biggest of the season,” Crain said.
The Twins effectively put the game out of reach in the eighth inning with a five-run effort to stretch the lead to 9-3. Jason Kubel started the scoring with a RBI double that scored Joe Mauer. White Sox relievers
walked the next three batters, scoring Kubel, and leaving the bases loaded. Two batters later Denard Span cleared the bases with a double to deep center field to give him four RBIs on the night.
“We’ve been playing real good ball, but we still have to finish business,” Span said.
Francisco Liriano pitched six innings, giving up six hits, three earned runs and three walks while walking seven to earn win no. 14, a career high. His previous career high win total was 12 during the 2006
season, his first full season as a starter.
With the win the Twins improved to 86-58 on the season and stretched their lead over the White Sox in the AL Central to seven games.
Minnesota will look to extend their division lead even further Wednesday when Brian Duensing takes the mound against Gavin Floyd for the White Sox. The Twins lead the season series between the two teams 11-5.
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