White Sox 12, Twins 1
CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox used a seven-run first inning to quickly take command, and they cruised from there for an 12-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday to snap a six-game losing streak.
The White Sox sent 12 batters to the plate in the first and quickly chased starter Liam Hendriks (1-3) in the opener of the three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
Chicago starter Erik Johnson (1-2) collected his first career victory. He worked six innings, allowed no runs on four hits while striking out eight and walking four.
Johnson had one rocky frame, as the Twins loaded the bases for Josmil Pinto with two out in the sixth. Pinto struck out as the White Sox maintained a shutout.
Jordan Danks clubbed his fourth home run in the bottom of that inning, a two-run shot that also scored Dayan Viciedo for an 11-0 White Sox lead. Alexei Ramirez capped a 4-for-4 night with a seventh-inning solo homer and a 12-0 advantage.
Minnesota scored its lone run as Chris Parmelee's eighth-inning RBI single scored Oswaldo Arcia off Chicago reliever Daniel Webb.
The White Sox jumped on two Twins pitchers for seven runs in the bottom of the first.
Chicago opened a 1-0 lead as Conor Gillaspie singled home Alejandro De Aza from second with none out. Paul Konerko's RBI base hit then brought home Ramirez for a 2-0 lead.
After Viciedo's one-out single scored Gillaspie from second, Hendriks walked Danks to load the bases. Gordon Beckham broke an 0-for-15 slump with his run-scoring single to center that brought home Konerko.
De Aza walked in his second at-bat of the inning, forcing in Viciedo for a 5-0 lead. That was it for Hendriks, who was replaced by right-hander Michael Tonkin. Tonkin promptly gave up a single down the third-base line to Ramirez to drive home Danks and Beckham.
Tonkin got Gillaspie to pop up to second to finally close a 51-minute first inning.
Hendriks threw 61 pitches in his two-thirds of an inning. He gave up seven earned runs on five hits while walking three.
The seven runs were the most by Chicago in the first inning since April 21, 2002, when eight runs crossed the plate against Detroit.
Adam Dunn and Viciedo clubbed back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning off Cole De Vries to open a 9-0 lead. Dunn's homer was his 32nd while Viciedo hit his 13th.
NOTES: White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (7-6, 3.56 ERA) leads the majors with 17 no-decisions in 2013, the most in a season in White Sox history. He'll make his 31st start of on Tuesday. ... Chicago entered the game 33 games under .500, the worst mark since ending the 1976 season at 64-97. ... RHP Addison Reed is on track for 41 saves, which would tie Bobby Jenks (2006) for third most In White Sox history. ... Dunn's fourth-inning homer tied Andre Dawson for 39th place all-time. He needs one walk to tie Willie Randolph (1,243) for 51st all-time. ... Minnesota had hit 24 home runs against Chicago entering Monday, the most in baseball against the White Sox. ... Twins LHP Glen Perkins' 53rd career save on Sunday moved him to within one of tying Mike Marshall for eighth on the team's all-time list. ... Among American League rookies this month C Josmil Pinto ranks first in batting average (.405) and slugging percentage (.703). ... Manager Ron Gardenhire needs four wins to reach 1,000 for his career. ... The Twins send RHP Mike Pelfrey (5-12, 5.31 ERA) against Quintana on Tuesday.
