Blackburn breezes for surging Twins over Chisox

[September 22, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Nick Blackburn pitched seven innings and Orlando Cabrera led the offense Monday night as the Minnesota Twins continued their late surge with a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

The Twins, who have won five of six, moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Detroit, which was idle, in the AL Central. The fading White Sox lost for the fifth time in six games and are seven back.

Blackburn (11-11) allowed eight singles with no walks and six strikeouts to earn his first road win since May 31 against Tampa Bay. He is 4-1 this season against Chicago.

Cabrera, who last season helped the White Sox win the AL Central title, had a triple, sacrifice fly, RBI single, reached on an error and scored three times.

Twins center fielder Denard Span had to leave the game in the sixth inning after being beaned by reliever Randy Williams. Span, who was able to get off the ground and leave the field with assistance, had a slight headache and was taken out for precautionary reasons, according to the team.

Rookie Daniel Hudson (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start.

Hudson allowed four hits and three runs in five innings, but only one run was earned.

He gave up a first-inning triple to Cabrera, who scored on A.J. Pierzsynski's two-out passed ball.

Hudson, starting because Gavin Floyd has a sore hip, walked Span with the bases loaded in the second -- the Twins' third walk of the inning -- to make it 2-0.

In the fifth, he fielded Cabrera's leadoff bunt and threw past first for an error, putting Cabrera at second. Michael Cuddyer delivered a two-out RBI single to push the Twins lead to three.

Nick Punto hit an RBI single off D.J. Carrasco in the sixth after a single by Matt Tolbert and a wild pitch. Williams relieved and his pitch hit Span in the helmet.

Carlos Gomez replaced Span and after he and Punto pulled a double steal, Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly that made it 5-0. Cabrera singled in another run in the eighth and Jason Kubel added an RBI double.

NOTES: Chicago RF Jermaine Dye went 0 for 3 and is 33 for 196 (.168) in the second half of the season. He heard some boos after hitting a comebacker in the sixth inning with a runner at third. ... Punto had two singles, two walks and two stolen bases.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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