Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota wrapped up a three-game sweep of the floundering Chicago White Sox with an 8-4 win that featured the Twins belting four home runs.
Brian Dozier launched a two-run blast for the Twins, with Oswaldo Arcia, Clete Thomas and Eduardo Escobar adding solo shots.
Arcia and Joe Mauer each had three hits to help Minnesota conclude its homestand with a 6-3 mark. Scott Diamond (5-6) earned the win after allowing four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
"It really helps when you get the (defense) behind you and especially the bats," Diamond said.
Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn clubbed back-to-back homers in the sixth for Chicago, which has lost seven of its last eight games and 17 of 22 overall.
John Danks (1-4) served up all four Minnesota homers in his five innings of work. The left-hander was tagged for six runs and 12 hits.
"The home runs hurt, but we weren't helping (Danks) defensively," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura.
The road-weary White Sox made things interesting in the ninth, loading the bases after Minnesota reliever Jared Burton retired the first two batters. However, Burton and the rest of the fans at Target Field exhaled when Alex Rios flew out to the warning track in left field to end the game.
Chicago lost for the 15th time in its last 17 road games.
The Twins jumped on Danks in the second as Arcia and Dozier both took him deep. Dozier homered for the third time in his last four games.
The White Sox had an another bases-loaded chance in the fourth and got a run via a two-out error by third baseman Trevor Plouffe. That was all Chicago could muster, though, as Gordon Beckham flied out to right to end the threat.
Thomas and Escobar then crushed back-to-back homers in the bottom of the inning to extend Minnesota's lead to 5-1. Arcia added a two-out, RBI single in the fifth before Diamond hit a rough patch in the sixth, surrendering the homers to Konerko and Dunn after Rios opened the frame with a single.
Once again, the Twins quickly answered against Chicago reliever Matt Lindstrom. Aided by a fielding error, Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs in the home sixth and Justin Morneau plated a pair with a base hit.
Game Notes
Reliever Jesse Crain made his 28th consecutive scoreless appearance, a new White Sox record. Crain pitched the seventh inning and broke a tie with J.J. Putz, who didn't allow a run in 27 straight appearances during the 2010 season ... The Twins notched their first three-game sweep of the White Sox in Minnesota since Sept. 23-25, 2008 ... Chicago shortstop Alexei Ramirez had four hits ... Dunn upped his home run total this season to 19, yet he is still batting .184 ... At 29-41, the White Sox are 12 games under .500 for the first time since ending the 2007 season with a 72-90 record.
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