Ryan Doumit’s two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning broke a 5-5 tie and lifted the Twins over the White Sox, 7-5 Tuesday night at Target Field.
Clete Thomas drew a two-out walk in the eighth and he advanced to second on a single by Joe Mauer. Doumit’s double to deep center scored Thomas and Mauer for the game-winning runs.
Minnesota jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the first inning against Chicago’s Dylan Axelrod.
The first two came on Mauer’s seventh home run of the season. Mauer, who had three hits in the game, took a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall.
The Twins scored two more on a single up the middle by Trevor Plouffe. It came with the bases loaded after Josh Willingham singled, Justin Morneau doubled and Oswaldo Arcia walked.
Chicago struck back in the second when Connor Gallaspie golfed a Mike Pelfrey pitch over the right field wall for a two-run homer.
After the White Sox made it a one-run game in the fifth, Pedro Florimon singled home Brian Dozier give the Twins a 5-3 lead.
The Sox rallied with a run in the seventh and another in the top of the eighth to the tie the game at five.
After Doumit’s big hit, Glen Perkins pitched a clean ninth inning for his 17th save of the season.
Minnesota is in the midst of an important stretch of games as the remaining schedule before the All-Star break will soon get very difficult. Take a look at their remaining first half schedule.
- 3 games at Cleveland
- 2 games at Miami
- 4 games versus Kansas City
- 4 games versus New York Yankees
- 3 games at Toronto
- 4 games at Tampa Bay
- 3 games at New York Yankees
