Mauer's Bases-Loaded Walk In 12th Lifts Twins Over White Sox
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pinch-hitter Joe Mauer drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Dan Jennings (4-3) hit Eddie Rosario with a full-count pitch to lead off the 12th. One out later Byron Buxton walked. Reliever Tommy Kahnle then came on and walked Brian Dozier and Mauer to push across the winning run.
Trevor May (2-2) pitched a perfect 12th inning to pick up the win.
Adam Eaton put the White Sox on the board early when he led off the game with a long home run to right-center field. After that, however, only one White Sox runner reached second base against Nolasco.
Kennys Vargas drove in a run with a blooper to short right field in the sixth. However, Miguel Sano, who had doubled, ran through a stop sign at third base and Eaton's throw easily beat him to the plate.
Chicago starter Jose Quintana allowed one run on seven hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. Buxton's two-out double in the seventh inning ended his night after 112 pitches, but Matt Albers came on to retire Dozier and strand Buxton.
Meanwhile, Twins starter Ricky Nolasco cruised through a season-high eight innings, allowing just one run and three hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
MORNEAU'S RETURN
Justin Morneau was a visiting player for the first time in the city he called home for a decade. The Twins traded their former first baseman and 2006 AL MVP late in the 2013 season. After stints with Pittsburgh and Colorado, Morneau signed with the White Sox in June. Since the trade he had only been back to Target Field for the 2014 Home Run Derby. He batted fifth as the designated hitter for the White Sox on Friday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: 3B Todd Frazier (flu) was scratched from the starting lineup. ... Manager Robin Ventura said there's "a good chance" that LHP Carlos Rodon (wrist) would return to the rotation on Sunday against the Twins.
Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe (rib) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Monday.
UP NEXT
White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez (2-5) has a streak of five straight quality starts in July. On Saturday night he'll face Twins LHP Tommy Milone (3-3), who had won three straight starts before the Red Sox pounded him for three home runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings on July 24.
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