Chicago, IL – Conor Gillaspie hit the go-ahead single in the bottom of the sixth and the Chicago White Sox snapped a five-game losing streak to the Minnesota Twins with a 5-4 victory on Saturday.
The White Sox were down, 4-3, entering the inning but chased Twins starter Mike Pelfrey (4-10) after Avisail Garcia led off the frame with a single and Jordan Danks walked. Both advanced on Josh Phegley's sacrifice bunt after Anthony Swarzak replaced Pelfrey.
Blake Tekotte hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Garcia and tying the game. After Gordon Beckham walked, Gillaspie delivered an RBI single to left to give his team the lead for good.
"It's a lot harder, it seems, to do what teams have done to us," said Beckham. "But we're grinding it out. I think that's the positive thing. We're playing hard."
David Purcey (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win while Addison Reed pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his 28th save. Starter Andre Rienzo gave up four runs on seven hits and five walks over 5 1/3 innings.
The White Sox have an opportunity to split the series with a win on Sunday.
Justin Morneau had a three-run home run while Oswaldo Arcia hit a solo shot for the Twins, who swept a day/night doubleheader on Friday. Pelfrey surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on four hits and five walks over five- plus frames.
"I think I've faced these guys maybe three times now and have been terrible in all three of them," said Pelfrey. "It stinks. Wasted day, it sucked. There's no one to blame but myself and I was terrible."
With one out in the first and the bases loaded, Paul Konerko hit a sacrifice fly to left, plating Beckham.
Danks homered to lead off the second. Phegley followed with a walk but was out two batters later on a fielder's choice by Beckham, who later scored from first to make it 3-0 after right fielder Chris Colabello missed a fly ball by Gillaspie.
However, the Twins would take the lead in the third. Brian Dozier was hit by a pitch with one out and Joe Mauer knocked a single to right. Morneau tied the game with a three-run homer to right. He hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader.
Two batters later, Arcia's solo shot gave them the lead. It was his third homer in the last three games.
Game Notes
Beckham was walked four times and scored twice ... Alexei Ramirez went 1- for-5 and is on a seven-game hitting streak ... Reed has converted all seven career save opportunities against Minnesota ... Morneau has eight RBI in this series. He is also four walks away from 500 for his career and two home runs away from tying Tony Oliva for third most in Twins history ... Josh Willingham recorded his 200th career double ... Chicago's Jose Quintana is scheduled to face Minnesota's Kevin Correia in Sunday's series finale.
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