Ramirez Single Gives White Sox Win

Chicago 4, Minnesota 3

Alexei Ramirez drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth Saturday and the Chicago White Sox finally beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-3.

It was Chicago's first win over the Twins in seven meetings this season and ended a nine-game losing streak to Minnesota stretching back to last season.

A.J. Pierzynski, who entered the game when Ramon Castro suffered a broken right hand on passed ball in the eighth inning, doubled off Jose Mijares (0-1) to start the ninth. After two fly outs, Juan Pierre walked and Alex Burnett relieved before Ramirez lined a single to center with Pierzynski beating the throw home.

Jesse Crain (5-2) got three outs for the win.

Twins starter Brian Duensing allowed five hits and a pair of runs over seven innings in a duel with Chicago lefty Mark Buehrle.

Buehrle, who entered the game with a 25-19 career record against the Twins, his most wins against any team, allowed four hits and three unearned runs in eight innings with eight strikeouts.

Jason Repko led off the eighth with an infield single to short, reaching first with a head first slide. A sacrifice moved him to second, he reached third on Castro's passed ball and scored on Alexi Casilla's fly to center for a 3-2 lead.

Twins reliever Glen Perkins hit Pierre to start the eighth and after a sacrifice, Paul Konerko was walked intentionally. Adam Dunn flied out with Pierre advancing to third. Joe Nathan was summoned and Carlos Quentin lined a single to left to tie the game. And in the top of the ninth, the White Sox right fielder made a nice running catch at the fence on a drive by Michael Cuddyer.

Ramirez hit his ninth homer to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first. But the Twins got two in the third as Luke Hughes reached on an error by Chicago third baseman Brent Morel and Tsuyoshi Nishioka had a bunt single. After a sacrifice, Hughes scored on an infield out by Ben Revere before Casilla lined an RBI single.

After giving up a two-out double to Ramon Castro in the second, Duensing retired 11 straight before Juan Pierre singled in the sixth. Ramirez followed with a single to send him to third before Konerko backed center fielder Revere to the fence to haul in his game-tying sacrifice fly.

Castro worked a two-out walk in the seventh and Gordon Beckham followed with a double into the right field corner before Duensing got Morel on a fly ball.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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