Chicago, IL – Alejandro De Aza hit his first grand slam as part of a three-homer sixth inning Thursday and Chicago beat Minnesota, 11-8, in the finale of a three-game set.
Paul Konerko and Alex Rios hit back-to-back solo homers to start the sixth while Dayan Viciedo and A.J. Pierzynski each added solo shots for the White Sox, who have won six of their last seven.
Philip Humber lasted just 4 1/3 innings in the start as he was tagged for five runs on six hits along with three walks and four strikeouts. Nate Jones (2-0) got the win after pitching 1 2/3 innings without getting charged with a run.
Justin Morneau hit a two-run and solo home run while Joe Mauer added a solo homer for the Twins, who have lost three of four.
Cole De Vries (0-1) lost his MLB debut after giving up six runs -- three earned -- on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts over five-plus innings.
"I was happy that I went out there and competed pretty well. Obviously I made some mistakes and those are the ones they capitalized on," he said.
A four-run fifth inning had given Minnesota a 5-4 lead, but the White Sox went up for good in the sixth.
Konerko worked a full count before slamming a pitch over the left-field wall to start the frame and Rios followed suit with a shot to left. Later with the bases loaded, De Aza crushed a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall for a 10-5 lead.
De Aza had a home run overturned in the fifth inning by a replay that showed the ball had just barely gone foul. He said he was trying to homer in the sixth.
"I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as I can," he said.
Morneau got one back in the seventh with a leadoff homer, but Viciedo countered with one of his own in the eighth.
Morneau's two-run shot in the ninth accounted for the final score.
Pierzynski hit a one-out, solo home run in the second to give Chicago the lead, but Jamey Carroll tied the game in the top of the third on an RBI single.
Konerko hit an RBI single and Rios followed with a two-run double in the third for a 4-1 advantage.
The fifth saw the Twins take the lead as a wild pitch scored Denard Span and Mauer followed with his second home run of the season, a solo shot to dead center. After the next two batters reach base, Jones took the mound and gave up a two-run single to Brian Dozier. Alexi Casilla then doubled, but Dozier was thrown out trying to score.
Game Notes
Chicago hosts Cleveland for three games starting on Friday...Minnesota returns home to face Detroit for a three-game set beginning on Friday...Each team won nine games in the series last season.
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