It wasn’t just a monkey the Sox got off their back on Saturday, it was a large gorilla. For the first time this season and the first time in ten games, the White Sox finally beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3.
For a while it looked as though the Sox struggles against the Twins would continue. After Alexei Ramirez gave the Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Minnesota scored two unearned runs in the third. The Sox came back to tie things in the sixth only to see the Twins take the lead in the eighth. Then something happened that the Sox haven’t done much of lately. Get a clutch hit. Carlos Quentin hit a two out RBI single to tie things up in the eighth and Alexei Ramirez won the game on a two out single in the ninth.
Mark Buehrle was outstanding on Saturday afternoon. Buehrle went eight innings and allowed three unearned runs on just four hits. The Sox lefty also struck out a season high eight batters. Jesse Crain pitched a perfect ninth to earn the victory against his former team. Crain improved to 5-2 on the season.
Brian Duensing pitched well for the Twins but didn’t figure in on the decision. Duensing went seven innings and gave up just two runs on five hits. Jose Mijares took the loss dropping his record to 0-1 on the season.
The Sox will look for a series split when the two teams face off Sunday afternoon.