Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – John Danks stifled Minnesota over eight frames and Carlos Quentin highlighted Chicago’s offense with a two-run homer, as the White Sox upended the Twins, 6-1, in a key American League Central matchup.
The Twins took the opener of this three-game series on Tuesday, 12-6, to break a tie between the teams atop the division, but Danks (13-8) came through with a sublime start to make it a dead heat again, allowing just one run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Alexei Ramirez scored twice and doubled in a run as the White Sox halted a three-game slide.
Glen Perkins (0-1), recalled to fill the rotation spot of the injured Kevin Slowey (elbow), lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up six runs — four earned — on five hits and two walks in his first big-league start in over a year.
Michael Cuddyer had two hits and drove in Minnesota’s lone run.
Quentin got Chicago started in the second, following Paul Konerko’s leadoff walk with a shot to straightaway center for his 24th home run of the year.
Orlando Hudson’s throwing error allowed Ramirez to reach second the following frame, proving costly when Alex Rios singled to left for a 3-0 game.
The Sox extended the lead with a three-run fifth, as Juan Pierre plated Omar Vizquel with a single to left, stole scored and scored on Ramirez’s two-bagger off the left-field wall. Another fielding gaffe, this time J.J. Hardy’s throwing error on Konerko’s bouncer to short, plated Ramirez later in the inning.
Cuddyer’s two-out RBI single in the sixth was the only blemish for Danks, who stranded a runner on third in the eighth before yielding to Sergio Santos’ scoreless ninth, ending Minnesota’s three-game winning streak.
Twins reliever Jose Mijares turned his ankle in the eighth inning after trying to field a play at first base and did not return…The Sox have homered in a season-high 10 straight games…Chicago’s Andruw Jones was scratched from the lineup because of a sore back… Perkins went 6-7 with a 5.95 earned-run average in 17 starts with Minnesota last year but struggled in Triple-A Rochester this season, going 4-9 with a 6.08 ERA in 23 starts…In the rubber match on Thursday, Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano battles the streaking Gavin Floyd.