Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) – Delmon Young’s bases loaded run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning brought in two with the help of a throwing error by Alex Rios, as the Minnesota Twins scored four runs in the inning to shock the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox, 7-6, in the finale of a four-game series at Target Field.
Young also hit a two-run homer and Michael Cuddyer, who scored the winning run, went 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI for Minnesota, which took the final three games of the series and has won four of five.
Brian Duensing (3-1) picked up the win for allowing one run and seven hits in four innings of relief. Twins starter Nick Blackburn continued to struggle after yielding five runs on nine hits over five frames. He struck out one and did not issue a walk. The righty had lost his last two decisions and was 1-6 in his previous eight starts coming in.
“I felt pretty good. I felt a little sluggish, thought I was fighting myself the first couple innings. Duensing said. “The last couple innings I tried not to do as much and just throw strikes.”
Carlos Quentin finished 2-for-3 with a two-run double, scored once and stole a base before leaving in the bottom of the sixth with a right hand injury for the White Sox, who have dropped three in a row after a nine-game winning streak. Gordon Beckham turned in a four-hit game and knocked in a pair in defeat.
Bobby Jenks (1-2) was tagged with the loss after failing apart in the ninth inning. The burly right-hander was charged with four runs — three earned — on two hits and a pair of walks without retiring a batter.
With Minnesota trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Jenks came on and walked the first two batters, then gave up back-to-back RBI singles to Jason Kubel and Cuddyer that made it a one-run game. With runners still on the corners, manager Ozzie Guillen went to his bullpen and brought in Sergio Santos, who immediately walked Jason Repko to load the bases. Young followed by hitting a bloop single to center that scored the tying run. Cuddyer initially stopped at third, but after Rios’ throw eluded the cutoff man, Cuddyer scampered home to give the Twins the dramatic victory.
“Just didn’t have it,” Jenks said. “My cutter was coming back, my sinker wasn’t sinking, the slider was big. Just didn’t have my stuff today.”
Minnesota drew first blood with a pair of runs in the second. Jim Thome singled with one away and Young followed by cracking a first-pitch slider into the left field seats.
The White Sox got a run back in the third on Beckham’s run-scoring single before Minnesota restored its two-run lead in the home half on Cuddyer’s RBI triple.
With runners on first and third, and one out in the fifth, Juan Pierre’s RBI groundout pulled the White Sox to within a run and they would put up four more in the sixth to take the lead.
Rios and Paul Konerko each singled to get the inning started and Quentin’s double to center brought in both to put the Sox in front and chase Blackburn. Duensing took over and retired the first batter he faced before intentionally walking Alexei Ramirez. Quentin then stole third and came in to score on Ramon Castro’s single up the middle. Beckham followed with an RBI base hit that made it 6-3.
It was the first walk-off win in the brief history of Target Field…White Sox starter Freddy Garcia, who had won six straight decisions coming into the series finale, tossed six effective innings, yielding 11 hits, three runs and one walk and also fanned a batter…The Twins went 12-6 versus the White Sox last year, winning seven of nine at home between the teams, and they have now won six of nine meetings so far in 2010.