Chicago, IL – Chris Parmelee hit a three-run home run and drove in four, all in the fifth inning, as the Minnesota Twins destroyed the Chicago White Sox, 18-9, in the second of three from U.S. Cellular Field.
Ryan Doumit had three hits, including a solo homer, three RBI and three runs scored, while Eduardo Escobar added three RBI and two runs scored for the Twins, who scored a season high in runs to snap a two-game losing streak.
"Balls were flying all over the place, as they always do in this ballpark," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Scott Diamond (11-6) benefited from the offense as he gave up four runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts over five innings to get the win.
DeWayne Wise hit a pair of doubles, drove in two and scored once for Chicago, which has lost six of their last eight. Jose Quintana (5-4) gave up seven runs on five hits with two walks in just 1 1/3 innings in the loss.
"This is just one of those, we'll forget this one and play tomorrow," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
Chicago stayed a game ahead of Detroit, which lost to Cleveland on Tuesday, for first place in the AL Central.
Chicago took the initial lead of the game in the first inning on a run-scoring groundout by Paul Konerko, followed by an RBI single from Alex Rios and a run- scoring double by Dayan Viciedo, but Minnesota answered in the second.
The team loaded the bases with one out and got its first run on a walk by Trevor Plouffe. Escobar then singled home two and Ben Revere and Jamey Carroll followed with RBI singles. An RBI single by Joe Mauer after Dylan Axelrod took the mound preceded a sacrifice fly by Josh Willingham for a 7-3 lead.
An RBI double by Alexei Ramirez in the fourth got the White Sox within three, but the Twins again answered with a monster inning.
With runners on the corners, Leyson Septimo took the mound and Parmelee greeted him with a run-scoring groundout. Philip Humber then took over and it all went downhill from there for Chicago.
Plouffe tripled in Doumit and scored himself on an Escobar single. Revere then singled to put men on the corners and a sac fly from Carroll scored another run. After Mauer walked, Willingham brought in one with a single and Justin Morneau followed with a walk to load the bases. Doumit's two-run single came right before Parmelee blasted a three-run shot over the wall in center for a 17-4 lead.
Doumit's solo homer in the seventh made it a 14-run game, before the White Sox made it more respectable in the eighth.
Four straight doubles from Dan Johnson, Wise, Ray Olmedo and Tyler Flowers scored three runs, while Alejandro De Aza doubled later in the inning to make it a 10-run game.
Wise's RBI double in the ninth accounted for the final score.
Game Notes
Chicago set a franchise record in the game with 10 doubles ... Minnesota had 17 hits in the game and batted 9-for-14 with runners in scoring position ... Despite the loss, Chicago has still won 10 of 14 games against Minnesota this season ... It was the most runs given up by Chicago this season.
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