Twins Beat White Sox, 5-3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Trevor Plouffe and Torii Hunter homered, helping Ricky Nolasco return to the rotation with a win as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox, 5-3, on Saturday.
The White Sox lost their fourth in a row and have been outscored 35-8 in that span.
Plouffe also lined an RBI single with the bases loaded in the fifth that broke a 3-all tie. Minnesota won for the seventh time in 10 games.
In his first start since coming off the disabled list with a sore elbow, Ricky Nolasco (1-1) held the White Sox to three runs on eight hits over five innings. He had been out since April 11.
The Twins used five relievers to blank Chicago after Nolasco left. Glen Perkins pitched the ninth and remains perfect in eight save chances.
Hunter hit a two-run homer off Hector Noesi (0-3) in the third. Hunter connected for the second time since rejoining the Twins in the offseason.
Avisail Garcia and J.B. Shuck each had two hits and a RBI for the White Sox.
The White Sox lost three runners on the basepaths in the early innings. Shuck was thrown out trying to stretch a second-inning single into a double. Kurt Suzuki threw out Garcia and Alexei Ramirez attempting to steal second in the third and fourth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: CF Adam Eaton missed his second straight game with the flu. ... DH Adam LaRoche also wasn't feeling well, but played.
Twins: Manager Paul Molitor said before the game that Nolasco would be limited to 75-80 pitches. He finished with 76.
UP NEXT
White Sox: John Danks (1-2, 5.64) starts Sunday as Chicago tries to avoid a four-game sweep.
Twins: Mike Pelfrey (2-0, 2.25) looks to win his third straight start. In seven career starts against the White Sox, he is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA.
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