Berrios shines as Twins shut out White Sox

[April 13, 2018]  Minnesota first baseman Joe Mauer reached 2,000 career hits with two run-producing singles and right-hander Jose Berrios tied a career high with 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings in the Twins' 4-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Target Field on Thursday.

Mauer had three RBIs, singling in the second run of a two-run third inning and singling in two runs with one out in the seventh to raise his batting average to an AL-high .412. He joined Kirby Puckett and Rod Carew as the only players with 2,000 hits in franchise history. Puckett had 2,304 hits and Carew 2,085 with Minnesota.

Berrios (2-1) gave up three singles, one of the infield variety, and hit one batter while making his second scoreless start of the season. He threw a three-hit shutout in a 7-0 victory at Baltimore on April 1, one of three shutouts in the majors this season.

The White Sox (4-8) got only one runner as far second base, that on defensive indifference with two outs in the ninth inning, while losing for the sixth time in seven games.

Dozier scored twice for Minnesota (7-4), which has won three in a row and five of seven. Dozier has hit safely in all 11 games this season, and Mauer has hit in 10 in a row, a career high to start a season.

Lucas Giolito (0-2) gave up five hits and four runs (three earned) in 6 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking five. Giolito has walked 12 in 18 innings in his first three starts and has hit a major league-high four batters.

Byron Buxton led off the third inning with a single and stole second base, a play that was reversed after official replay review. Buxton took third on a flyout and scored on Dozier's ground ball to shortstop Tim Anderson. Dozier took second base when the throw to the plate got away from the catcher and scored on Mauer's single to make it 2-0.

Jason Castro walked with one out and Dozier doubled to put runners on second and third to knock out Giolito in the seventh inning, and Mauer singled up the middle off reliever Aaron Bummer to make it 4-0.

--Field Level Media

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