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 Jerry Sands hit a two-run homer and Carlos Rodon pitched six
shutout innings to lead the Sox to a 3-0 win over the Minnesota
Twins on Wednesday night at Target Field.
Rodon allowed three hits and walked five while striking out six in
winning his first game of the season. The left-hander has allowed
two earned runs and 10 hits with 12 strikeouts in 13 innings in his
two starts in 2016.
"He wasn't as sharp as he's been but when he needed to be, he bowed
up and got through," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "For a
young guy, that's something you can put in your pocket and move on."
Minnesota dropped to 0-8 on the season and is the only team in the
American League without a win. No other AL team has fewer than three
wins.
The Twins were shut out for the second time and have scored a total
of 13 runs in those games, seven fewer than any other team in the
majors.
"When you have an extended period like eight games, especially to
start the season and we haven't been able to produce, I think
everyone feels it to some degree," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
"Some guys are able to stay a little bit more calm than others, but
you see the anxiousness."
White Sox closer David Robertson worked a perfect ninth inning for
his fourth save.
Sands' blast over the wall in center field came with one out in the
seventh to give the White Sox a three-run lead. It was the first
home run for Sands in his fourth at-bat of the season.
"You just try and go into every at-bat like it's a normal one," said
Sands, who was in the starting lineup for the first time this
season. "You just try and stay ready. Obviously, not having many and
then you get thrown in there for four [at bats], you kinda relax and
see some pitches. The first couple didn't turn out how I want into
but I ran into one and helped this team win."
The homer ended the night for Twins starter Phil Hughes, who ran
into trouble later in his outing. The right-hander (0-2) was still
solid, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings while
striking out seven.
"I felt like I was throwing some good fastballs early in the game
and had them backed off a little bit," Hughes said. "I got through
the first three innings pretty clean and felt like I wanted to mix
it up a little more. With Sands, I was trying to go front-door
cutter which I had struck him out on the previous two times and he
ran into it.
"Especially when the guys are struggling to score and we're already
down 1-0, to give up two runs right there is a tough spot."
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After failing to get a run in the fifth inning after putting runners
on second and third with nobody out, Chicago scratched a run across
in the top of the sixth, getting back-to-back singles by Adam Eaton
and Jimmy Rollins to lead off the inning. Eaton advanced to third on
the soft hit up the middle by Rollins.
Jose Abreu followed with a sharp grounder to short and was erased on
a 6-4-3 double play, but was enough to score Eaton from third for a
1-0 lead.
"That's one where you just start grasping because you don't know
what you're gonna get," Ventura said. "Jose got the double play and
you actually feel good about it that you got the [run] in,"
The White Sox got a single by Melky Cabrera and a double to the gap
in left center by Brett Lawrie to lead off the fifth. But Hughes
struck out Sands and Alex Avila before getting Austin Jackson to
ground out meekly to third base to stymie the threat.
Minnesota threatened in the bottom half of the inning via a walk by
Kurt Suzuki. He was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Byron Buxton,
but a flyout by Brian Dozier preceded a soft groundout to first by
Joe Mauer to end the inning.
Both pitchers cruised through the first four innings. Rodon struck
out five Twins his first time through the order and Hughes didn't
allow a baserunner until Rollins' swinging bunt down the third-base
line with one out in the fourth.
NOTES: Chicago entered the game three games above .500 for the first
time since the end of the 2012 season. The White Sox are off to
their best start since starting the 2005 season 6-2. ... White Sox
OF/DH Avisail Garcia got the night off. ... Twins LHP Glen Perkins
was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain.
... Twins LHP Taylor Rogers was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to
take Perkins' roster spot. ... Chicago and Minnesota will conclude
their three-game series on Thursday afternoon at Target Field. The
White Sox will send RHP Mat Latos (1-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound. The
Twins will counter with RHP Ervin Santana (0-0, 2.25 ERA).
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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