advertisement

Viciedo's 4 RBIs lead White Sox over Twins 8-2

Dayan Viciedo homered and drove in four runs, and the White Sox beat Minnesota 8-2 Wednesday for a three-game sweep of the last-place Twins.

Viciedo hit a two-run single in the second inning and added a two-run homer in the fourth, finishing with three hits. Alex Rios also homered for the White Sox, who have won 10 of their last 11 home games.

Jake Peavy (8-7) allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks, helping keep Chicago at least tied with Detroit atop the AL Central.

Kevin Youkilis left the game in the fourth inning due to a sprained left ankle. He had an RBI single in the third before being lifted for a pinch hitter.

Nick Blackburn (4-6) gave up a season-high eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings as the Twins fell a season-worst 18 games below .500. Minnesota went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, stranded nine runners and lost to the White Sox for the 15th time in their last 19 meetings.

Peavy got into a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the first, but allowed only one run. Josh Willingham grounded into a double play, and Justin Morneau grounded out.

Viciedo misplayed Joe Mauer's fly ball to left leading off the fourth for an error, Willingham walked and Mauer scored on Morneau's double. But with runners on second and third, Peavy struck out Ryan Doumit, Brian Dozier and Alexi Casilla.

Viciedo's miscue snapped a 109-game errorless streak. It was his first error since moving to the outfield from third base in 2011.

The 23-year-old Cuban hit his 16th homer of the season in the bottom half, a 409-foot, two-run drive over the center-field wall for a 6-2 lead.

Viciedo ran into more trouble in the fifth when he failed to catch Denard Span's one-out line drive — ruled a double. Viciedo tumbled forward, bending his left wrist as he fell to the ground. Manager Robin Ventura and a White Sox trainer came out to check on Viciedo, who recovered to make a nice retreating catch on Mauer's fly ball and strand Span at second.

Rios' two-run homer in the fifth chased Blackburn, who allowed eight earned runs for the first time since Sept. 28, 2010, at Kansas City.

Span had two doubles for Minnesota. Morneau's double in the fourth was the 250th of his career.

NOTES: White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski (mild right oblique strain) sat out for the second consecutive game. Ventura expects Pierzynski to return Friday. "He could play, but we don't want him to re-injure it and be out for any longer than he has to be," Ventura said. ... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe (bruised right thumb) missed his fifth straight game. Manager Ron Gardenhire said a trip to the 15-day DL is possible if Plouffe doesn't improve by Friday's series opener against Cleveland. ... Scott Diamond (8-4, 3.16 ERA) will pitch the series opener for the Twins against the Indians' (Josh Tomlin 5-7, 5.34). ... Chris Sale (11-3, 2.37) starts for Chicago against Yu Darvish (11-6, 3.88) at Texas on Friday.

Youkilis says he’ll be ready to play Friday

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.