Twins Beat White Sox 4-3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Fuld hit a tiebreaking, two-run single off Javy Guerra in a three-run seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3 Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.
Danny Santana had two RBIs for the last-place Twins, who won for just the 11th time in their last 30 games.
Chicago led 2-1 in the seventh when Minnesota loaded the bases against Ronald Belisario (3-7) on walks to Josh Willingham and Eric Fryer around a single by Chris Parmelee.
Guerra relieved and retired Eduardo Escobar on a foulout, and Santana hit a tying sacrifice fly just deep enough to left-center field. Fuld followed with a line-drive single up the middle and was thrown out at second when he tried to advance.
Adrian Nieto homered in the eighth off Casey Fien, Nieto's first in 76 career big league at-bats. All-Star Glen Perkins retired Gordon Beckham on a bases-loaded flyout for his 25th save in 28 chances.
Jared Burton (2-2) pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Yohan Pino, who didn't allow a hit until two outs in the fifth and wound up giving up two runs and four hits in six innings.
Chicago rookie Jose Abreu had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 17 games, and drove his 79th run, second in the major leagues behind Detroit's Miguel Cabrera,
White Sox starter Scott Carroll allowed one run and four hits in six innings, leaving after just 78 pitches.
When Minnesota's Oswaldo Arcia struck out ending the sixth, he snapped his bat over a knee, sending wood splinters flying around the batter's box that were picked up by a batboy.
Santana's RBI triple in the third gave Minnesota its first lead of the series. Chicago went ahead in the sixth on Alexei Ramirez's sacrifice fly and Abreu's RBI double.
NOTES: Twins 1B Joe Mauer (oblique) is to take batting practice at Target Field this week. Manager Ron Gardenhire wasn't worried about setup for a Paul McCartney concert scheduled for Saturday getting in the way. "He's going to hit it right through the drums," Gardenhire joked. . Twins SP Kyle Gibson (back) is expected to start Tuesday against Kansas City. While Phil Hughes took a line drive off a knee on Thursday he doesn't expect to miss a start. ... Ricky Nolasco (elbow) threw a bullpen session on Sunday. . Jose Quintana (5-7, 3.15 ERA) is slated to starts for the White Sox on Tuesday against Detroit's Anibal Sanchez (7-4, 3.45). . Gibson (8-8, 4.19) faces James Shields (9-5, 3.58) as the Twins open a three-game series in Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
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