Viciedo's 4 RBIs Lead Sox Over Twins

Chicago 8, Minnesota 2

Dayan Viciedo homered and drove in four runs, and the Chicago White Sox beat Minnesota 8-2 Wednesday for a three-game sweep of the last-place Twins.

Viciedo hit a two-run single in the second inning and added a two-run homer in the fourth, finishing with three hits. Alex Rios also homered for the White Sox, who have won 10 of their last 11 home games.

Jake Peavy (8-7) allowed two runs — one earned — and six hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks, helping keep Chicago at least tied with Detroit atop the AL Central.

Kevin Youkilis left the game in the fourth inning due to a sprained left ankle. He had an RBI single in the third before being lifted for a pinch hitter.

Nick Blackburn (4-6) gave up a season-high eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings as the Twins fell a season-worst 18 games below .500. Minnesota went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, stranded nine runners and lost to the White Sox for the 15th time in their last 19 meetings.

Peavy got into a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the first, but allowed only one run. Josh Willingham grounded into a double play, and Justin Morneau grounded out.

Viciedo misplayed Joe Mauer's fly ball to left leading off the fourth for an error, Willingham walked and Mauer scored on Morneau's double. But with runners on second and third, Peavy struck out Ryan Doumit, Brian Dozier and Alexi Casilla.

Viciedo's miscue snapped a 109-game errorless streak. It was his first error since moving to the outfield from third base in 2011.

The 23-year-old Cuban hit his 16th homer of the season in the bottom half, a 409-foot, two-run drive over the center-field wall for a 6-2 lead.

Viciedo ran into more trouble in the fifth when he failed to catch Denard Span's one-out line drive — ruled a double. Viciedo tumbled forward, bending his left wrist as he fell to the ground. Manager Robin Ventura and a White Sox trainer came out to check on Viciedo, who recovered to make a nice retreating catch on Mauer's fly ball and strand Span at second.

Rios' two-run homer in the fifth chased Blackburn, who allowed eight earned runs for the first time since Sept. 28, 2010, at Kansas City.

Span had two doubles for Minnesota. Morneau's double in the fourth was the 250th of his career.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us