Plouffe, Twins End 3-Game Skid, Stop Abreu, Chisox
CHICAGO (AP) — Trevor Plouffe got four hits and the Minnesota Twins stopped Jose Abreu, rallying past the Chicago White Sox 8-6 Saturday night to end a three-game skid.
Abreu's hitting streak ended at 21 games, longest in the AL this season. He went 0 for 3 with two walks, one of them intentional.
The Cuban rookie, who leads the majors with 31 home runs, had reached base in 10 straight plate appearances before he popped up in the first inning.
Plouffe doubled twice and drove in two runs. Oswaldo Arcia was credited with a two-run double in the eighth, giving the Twins a 7-6 lead, when his liner glanced off the glove of left fielder Alejandro De Aza.
Adam Eaton hit three doubles and a single for Chicago.
Ryan Pressly (1-0) won and Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 30 chances.
Ronald Belisario (4-8) took the loss.
In the opener of the series Friday, Chicago scored four runs in the eighth for a 10-8 win. This time, the Twins got three in the eighth and Danny Santana added a solo homer in the ninth.
Alexei Ramirez homered for the White Sox.
Chicago took a 6-4 lead in the seventh with four runs. Eaton hit a two-run double, Gordon Beckham had an RBI double and Ramirez singled home a run.
Suzuki hit a single off Belisario in the eighth, and the White Sox then brought in closer Jake Petricka with runners on first and second. After a groundout, Arcia hit a liner that got De Aza turned around.
ON DECK
In the finale of the three-game series Sunday, Minnesota starts right-hander Kyle Gibson (9-8, 3.94) vs. left-hander Jose Quintana (6-7, 3.15).
GROUND COVERED
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire joked before the game about employing a new strategy to contain Abreu: "We're thinking about trying to slip in a few more defenders in the outfield."
"He's on everything. Inside, outside. We've tried everything," Gardenhire said. "We've thrown breaking balls, we've bounced balls. The young man is a nice hitter. He's comfortable right now, he's swinging very good and you got to try to keep mixing it up. You can't get into patterns on him."
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