Jiménez hits tiebreaking single as White Sox beat Twins 6-4
CHICAGO (AP) — Eloy Jiménez hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.
Luis Robert Jr. homered as Chicago secured its first series win of the season. Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal each had three hits, and Keynan Middleton worked the ninth for his first save of the season.
The White Sox will try for a three-game series sweep Thursday afternoon. They dropped 10 in a row before their win streak.
Carlos Correa had two RBIs for Minnesota, and Nick Gordon homered for the second straight day.
Jiménez drove in Andrew Benintendi with his single to left against Griffin Jax (1-3). The White Sox added an insurance run in the eighth when pinch-runner Billy Hamilton scored from second on Elvis Andrus’ grounder to second.
Aaron Bummer, Gregory Santos (1-0), Kendall Graveman and Middleton combined for four scoreless innings in relief of Dylan Cease. Santos earned his first major league win after working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the seventh.
Louie Varland made his second start of the season for Minnesota, stepping into the rotation after Tyler Mahle was sidelined by an elbow injury. The rookie right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The big blow was Robert’s first homer since April 11, a three-run drive to center in the first. The slugging center fielder hit just .129 (9 for 70) in his previous 20 games.
The Twins rallied with three two-out runs in the third. Correa hit a two-run double and scored on Byron Buxton’s double.
After Gordon homered in the top of the fourth, the White Sox tied it on Anderson’s RBI single in the bottom half. Grandal was easily thrown out by right fielder Max Kepler when he tried to score from second on the liner to right.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: Mahle was placed on the 15-day injured list to make room for Varland, who was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul. Mahle will be shut down for at least four weeks after tests revealed a posterior impingement and flexor pronator strain in his right elbow.
White Sox: Closer Liam Hendriks is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Friday night. Hendriks is coming back from stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. … 3B Jake Burger departed after four innings because of left side discomfort. … 3B Yoán Moncada (lower back soreness) has been ramping up his workouts. Manager Pedro Grifol said they haven’t decided when he might start a rehab appearance. … LHP Garrett Crochet (Tommy John surgery) has another four or five rehab appearances before he could return to the majors, according to Grifol.
UP NEXT
Right-handers Pablo López (2-2, 4.00 ERA) and Lucas Giolito (1-2, 4.15 ERA) start the series finale. López is 1-2 with a 7.31 ERA in his last three starts for Minnesota. Giolito pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball for Chicago in a no-decision against Tampa Bay last week.
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