05/01/24 12:37:00
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05/01 00:35 CDT Kepler lifts Twins over White Sox 6-5 for team's first 9-game
win streak in 16 years
Kepler lifts Twins over White Sox 6-5 for team's first 9-game win streak in 16
years
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) --- Max Kepler drove in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning
for the second straight game, this time with a sacrifice fly, and the Minnesota
Twins won their ninth in a row, 6-5 over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
The Twins extended their longest win streak since a 10-game run in June 2008.
They also won their seventh in a row against the White Sox and put themselves
in position to sweep Chicago again after taking four games at Target Field last
week, though this one certainly wasn't easy.
"Pretty tough bunch of guys," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "I don't feel like
we're one dimensional or two dimensional. I feel like we can win games in all
the ways. ... It's fun to watch from the dugout right now."
Chicago's Andrew Benintendi homered leading off the eighth to tie it at 5 after
Minnesota scored twice in the top half. But the Twins pulled it out in the
ninth.
Byron Buxton walked leading off against Michael Kopech (0-3) and took third on
Manuel Margot's one-out single. Kepler, who hit a tiebreaking single in
Monday's 3-2 win, then put Minnesota on top with a sacrifice fly to center.
Jhoan Duran pitched around a leadoff single by Tommy Pham in the bottom half
and picked up the save after missing the Twins' first 28 games because of a
strained right oblique muscle. Caleb Thielbar (1-1) recorded the final two outs
in the eighth.
"When we were struggling at the beginning of the year, you almost felt like we
could never come back and win games like that," said Carlos Correa, who hit an
RBI single and scored in the eighth. "To be able to just bounce back, put some
runs on the board, put some good at-bats together, play the way that we played
--- it shows a lot about where our confidence level is at, where we stand as a
team and ... the resilience."
The Twins didn't get a hit until the fifth, when they scored twice and chased
White Sox starter Michael Soroka.
Danny Mendick gave Chicago a 4-2 lead with a two-run homer against reliever
Kody Funderburk in the fifth inning.
Ryan Jeffers swiped home for the Twins as part of a double steal in the sixth.
Correa, in his second game back from a strained right rib cage muscle, hit an
RBI single against Jordan Leasure in the eighth and scored on Trevor Larnach's
base hit to put Minnesota on top 5-4. But the Twins left the bases loaded when
Kyle Farmer grounded into a force against Prelander Berroa.
Benintendi tied it when he led off against Cole Sands with his third homer.
Mendick doubled, but Robbie Grossman struck out. Thielbar then retired Korey
Lee on a pop fly and Nicky Lopez on a grounder.
The White Sox are a major league-worst 6-24 overall and 2-17 against the AL
Central.
"I like what we are doing," manager Pedro Grifol said. "I like the way we are
playing. I like the energy. I like this is an area where we have to grow. We
have to find ways to win those ballgames."
Chicago had 12 hits but was 2 for 11 with men in scoring position. The White
Sox stranded nine runners.
Soroka gave up two runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander has a
6.48 ERA through seven starts.
Minnesota's Simeon Woods Richardson went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one
earned) and seven hits. The 23-year-old right-hander threw 81 pitches in his
fourth career start and third this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Duran was reinstated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game. He
was hurt while warming up for a live batting practice session in spring
training on March 17.
UP NEXT
The three-game series wraps up with RHP Bailey Ober (2-1, 4.21 ERA) pitching
for Minnesota and RHP Chris Flexen (1-3, 5.11) getting the ball for Chicago.
Ober has a 1.48 ERA in four starts since getting pounded in a loss at Kansas
City on March 31. Flexen threw five scoreless innings in a win over Tampa Bay
last week.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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