Mauer, Doumit lead Twins over White Sox

[June 19, 2013]  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Ryan Doumit hit a go-ahead double in the eighth inning, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Chicago White Sox 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Joe Mauer homered and Trevor Plouffe had an RBI single in Minnesota's four-run first inning off Dylan Axelrod.

The White Sox came back to tie it at 5 in the eighth when Alex Rios worked a leadoff walk from reliever Jared Burton (1-4), stole second and scored on Paul Konerko's single that bounced off the pitcher's mound and into center field.

Clete Thomas walked with two outs against Ramon Troncoso (0-2) in the eighth. Mauer followed with a single -- his third hit of the game -- and Doumit drove a double to left center that gave the Twins the lead.

The double was also Doumit's third hit of the game.

Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his 17th save.

Konerko had four hits for Chicago, which has lost five of six and 13 of its last 15 on the road, and Conor Gillaspie had a two-run homer in the second off Twins starter Mike Pelfrey.

Coming off elbow surgery that wrecked his 2012 season, Pelfrey pitched into the seventh inning for his third straight start. He allowed four runs on 10 hits and left with runners on first and third with nobody out in the seventh.

Pedro Florimon added an RBI single for Minnesota.

Axelrod was pitching on seven days rest after allowing six runs in his previous start. After a rough beginning on Tuesday, he settled down and retired 11 of 12 batters at one point and allowed five runs -- four earned -- in six innings.

Konerko's four-hit game was his first since July 24 of last season and raised his batting average to .248.

Mauer's homer barely cleared the left-field wall and was his first with runners on base since Sept. 1 of last season.

The Twins had lost seven of their last 11 heading into Tuesday and were averaging fewer than three runs during the stretch.

NOTES: Twins CF Aaron Hicks is running in the outfield and making progress rehabbing from a strained left hamstring. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Hicks -- on the disabled list since June 10 -- will probably have to complete a rehab assignment before returning to the Twins. ... Gillaspie is now second among AL rookies with five home runs. ... A bus transporting the Twins Elizabethton, Tenn., rookie league affiliate was involved in a bus crash that killed a driver traveling the wrong way down a highway in Florida. ... Josh Willingham was back in left field for Minnesota after missing two games with a sore knee. ... Coming off a start where he fanned 14, didn't allow an earned run, but lost 2-1 at Houston, Chris Sale (5-5, 2.43 ERA) starts for Chicago on Wednesday. ... The Twins will counter with Kevin Correia (5-4, 3.97 ERA), who is 1-5 since April 23.

[Associated Press; By ADAM CZECH]

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