LDN - Sports

Buxton's Blast leads Twins over White Sox

[September 02, 2016] MINNEAPOLIS -- Byron Buxton's third stint in the majors got off to a rough start on Thursday, but only got better as the day went along.

His three-run blast punctuated a five-run second inning as the Minnesota Twins snapped a 13-game losing streak with an 8-5 win over the Chicago White Sox at Target Field.

After waking up at 3:15 a.m. to get to the airport, Buxton's rental car got a flat tire, forcing him to walk three miles to get service. A phone call got his flight pushed back, but once he arrived in Minneapolis, he had trouble finding the car that was to bring him to the ballpark.

He walked into the clubhouse 12 hours after his odyssey began then proceeded to homer into the second deck in his first at-bat of the night.

"It feels great. Makes it even better that we won, especially after the two weeks we've had here," Buxton said. "I'm just very thankful I got the opportunity to come back up here and win."

That opportunity was no sure thing, at least initially. Buxton hit just .193 over his first 63 games in the majors this season. But five home runs with Triple-A Rochester since his last demotion in early August forced the Twins hand.

With two on and one out in the second and the Twins leading by a run, Buxton made his presence felt.

"I went down there and worked on my swing a lot," Buxton said. "It feels way better than what it was earlier in the year. I'm just going to keep working hard and sticking with my swing and trusting it."

Trevor Plouffe also homered for Minnesota, which ended its losing streak one shy of the franchise record of 14 set in 1982, by a club that went on to lose 102 games.

Ervin Santana (7-10) scattered 11 hits but stranded 10 White Sox batters and allowed just two runs over five innings, walking two and striking out six in earning the victory.

"It's a relief," said Twins manager Paul Molitor, "but we know that you can't enjoy these things very long."

Brandon Kintzler worked a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.

Chicago left 11 runners on base overall; Minnesota stranded just two.

"We left a lot of runs out there," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "We left 10 guys at one point, and they had cashed everybody in. When you look up there and see you've left 10 guys and they didn't leave any at one point, that really kind of tells the tale."

Jose Quintana (11-10), who began the night as the American League's ERA leader, allowed seven runs on seven hits in five innings of work while striking out eight and took the loss, dropping to 2-2 in five starts against the Twins this season. The seven runs allowed were the most the left-hander has given up in a game this season and the most since he allowed six in a loss to Boston on June 22.

"The fastball worked good. I got a couple of strikeouts, but I don't know, the two homers are what changed the game," Quintana said. "I don't give up too many base hits but the homers changed the game. I missed my spot a couple times and I paid for it."

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Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco (11) celebrates with center fielder Byron Buxton (25) after scoring the during the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Abreu finished with three hits, including a long two-run homer in the sixth inning. Todd Frazier also homered for the White Sox.

Kurt Suzuki had a pair of RBI hits for Minnesota, which won for the first time since Aug. 17.

Frazier's solo homer to left field gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. It came on Santana's first offering of the inning and was Frazier's 34th of the season.

The White Sox collected six hits off Santana through two innings but scored just once and stranded four men on base.

Minnesota countered with five runs in the bottom of the second. Four straight singles along with a wild pitch accounted for two runs before Buxton smashed his second homer of the season into the second deck in left with a pair of men on base, giving the Twins a 5-1 lead.

Chicago posted a two-out rally in the fourth inning to get one back, getting back-to-back doubles from Carlos Sanchez and Melky Cabrera to narrow the deficit to three runs.

But the Twins used the long ball again in the fifth on Plouffe's two-run blast, his 10th, giving Minnesota's its largest lead of the night at 7-2.

NOTES: White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez was sent to Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday to begin a rehabilitation assignment. Gonzalez has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a strained right groin. ... White Sox RHP Juan Minaya was recalled from Charlotte. Minaya is 5-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 47 relief appearances. ... White Sox C Kevan Smith was recalled from Charlotte. Smith hit .219 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 49 games. ... Twins CF Byron Buxton was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. Buxton hit .193 with one homer and 16 RBIs in 63 games with Minnesota this season. ... The White Sox and Twins will continue their four-game series on Friday at Target Field. Chicago will send LHP Carlos Rodon (5-8, 3.91 ERA) to the mound against Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (5-8, 5.17 ERA).

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