Quintana strikes out 13 in Sox's Game 1 over Twins

Jose Quintana knows his place on the White Sox.

Quintana knows he's not the ace starter, and he is quite OK with that.

The 25-year-old left-hander sure performed like a top starter in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.

In the Sox' 5-1 win, Quintana allowed 1 run on 3 hits in 7 innings and he had a career-high 13 strikeouts.

"He changes speeds," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He moves the ball in and out. He'll go in off the plate and he throws a nice little breaking ball in there for effect. Then he goes back out there and keeps painting away, away, away and he'll give you just enough and make you kind of hang yourself."

Quintana became only the seventh lefty in White Sox history to strike out 13 or more hitters in a game.

Chris Sale, the Sox' undisputed ace, has accomplished the feat five times.

"When I see Chris Sale throw, I'm so excited," Quintana said. "I'm just excited because he's the best in the American League. I try to follow him with a good performance every time."

While Quintana's 8-10 record this season is mainly due to another round of subpar run support, his 3.30 ERA ranks 17th in the American League.

"He was good," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Quintana's outing in Game 1. "It was tough to see (with the late afternoon shadows), that's obvious, but you've still got to be able to throw strikes and attack and Q did that. You're happy for him to be finishing this way, toward the end of the year and still be strong and go out there and throw a game like this."

Quintana likes to change speeds and he isn't nearly overpowering as Sale. Still, he ranks 10th in AL with 165 strikeouts (in 185⅔ innings). Sale, who was sidelined five weeks with a strained flexor muscle earlier in the season, is sixth with 192 strikeouts in 163 innings.

"I like it when I get a lot of strikeouts," Quintana said. "I feel really good with that and I want to continue it."