CHICAGO– Max Kepler hit a sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins won their ninth consecutive game, defeating the Chicago White Sox 6-5 on Tuesday night.
The Twins extended their best winning streak since a 10-game streak in June 2008. They also won their seventh straight against the White Sox and put themselves in position to sweep Chicago again after taking four at Target Field last week, although This one certainly wasn’t easy.
Chicago’s Andrew Benintendi scored in the top of the eighth to tie it at 5 after Minnesota scored twice in the first half. But the Twins got it going in the ninth.
Byron Buxton took the lead against Michael Kopech (0-3) and came third to Manuel Margot’s only defeat. Kepler then put Minnesota on top with a sacrifice fly to center.
Jhoan Duran pitched around Tommy Pham’s leadoff single in the bottom half and got 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.
The Twins didn’t 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 off reliever Kody Funderburk in the fifth inning.
Ryan Jeffers homered for the Twins as part of a double steal in the sixth. Carlos Correa hit an RBI single off 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 formed into a force against Prelander Berroa.
Benintendi tied it when he led off the bottom half against Cole Sands with his third home run. Mendick doubled, but Robbie Grossman struck out. Thielbar then retired Korey Lee on a pop fly and Nicky Lopez on a grounder.
Soroka gave up two runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander has a 6.48 ERA in 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 before the game. He was injured while preparing for a live batting practice session in spring training on March 17.
NEXT
The three-game series ends 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 being struck out in a loss at Kansas City on March 31. Flexen threw five scoreless innings in a win over Tampa Bay last week.
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