Beckham helps White Sox beat Twins 4-2

[September 04, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Gordon Beckham hit a two-run homer and Hector Santiago won in his first major league start as the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night.

After falling out of sole possession of first place in the AL Central on Sunday night following a 1-6 road trip and being swept by the Tigers, the White Sox won the first of a 10-game homestand. They moved a game up on Detroit, which lost to Cleveland 3-2.

Many of the White Sox players watched the Tigers' last out before going out to stretch while manager Robin Ventura practiced his putting in his office.

The White Sox have won eight straight at home and 22 of their last 27 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Jamey Carroll hit his first home run in three seasons for the Twins, who are 25 games below .500.

Santiago (3-1) pitched five-plus innings and allowed one run on three hits. He struck out six and walked three. Santiago started the season as the White Sox closer and later moved to a middle reliever. He was sent to Triple-A Charlotte to be stretched out as a starter.

Santiago is taking Gavin Floyd's spot in the rotation. Floyd is on the DL with a sore right shoulder.

Addison Reed pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save in 29 chances. The White Sox needed six relievers to secure the win.

Home run leader Adam Dunn was 1 for 3 with a double after missing Chicago's previous two games with an oblique strain.

Twins starter Samuel Deduno (5-3) allowed two runs over six on six hits. He struck out three and walked three.

A.J. Pierzynski led off with a single in the second inning, two outs later, Beckham hit an 0-2 pitch from Deduno over the left-field fence for his 13th of the season.

Carroll hit his first home run since Aug. 9, 2009, with one out in the fifth inning to cut the White Sox lead to 2-1. The home run for Carroll snapped a streak of 1,348 at-bats without a homer, which was the longest active streak in the majors.

Ben Revere robbed Kevin Youkilis of extra bases in the fifth with a running catch on the left-center warning track.

Santiago got help from reliever Nate Jones and Donnie Veal as they stranded Darin Mastroianni at third in the sixth inning.

Youkilis doubled with one out in the seventh off Minnesota reliever Kyle Waldrop. Then with two outs Youkilis scored on Paul Konerko's single to extend the lead to 3-1. Youkilis earlier snapped out of an 0-for-19 skid and was 2 for 3 on the night.

Joe Mauer doubled in the eighth off reliever Matt Thornton and scored on Justin Morneau's single to get Minnesota back within one run.

Beckham gave the White Sox an insurance run with his third RBI of the game in the eighth. Alexei Ramirez hit a two-out single then stole second and scored on Beckham's single.

NOTES: The White Sox held a pregame tribute for former reliever and assistant coach Kevin Hickey, who died on May 14. The White Sox dedicated the batting cage in his name. ... Twins are expected to call up INF Eduardo Escobar from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. Escobar was acquired from the White Sox in the Francisco Liriano deal. Minnesota also plans to call up reliever Luis Perdomo from Rochester on Tuesday. ... Josh Willingham was back in the lineup as the designated hitter after missing a game with a sore hamstring. He was 0 for 4.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.