Twins' Gibson tosses 8 scoreless vs. Chicago
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kyle Gibson outdueled lefty Jose Quintana, as the right-hander tossed eight scoreless innings to lead the Twins to a 1-0 win over the White Sox on Friday night at Target Field.
Gibson scattered just four hits and a walk with four strikeouts, including Jose Abreu swinging twice. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second by getting Tyler Flowers to ground into an inning-ending double play. He also ran into trouble into the seventh, with runners at the corners and two out, but he got J.B. Shuck to line out softly to third.
But with 94 pitches through eight frames, the Twins went to closer Glen Perkins for the ninth inning and he was able to throw a scoreless inning -- stranding the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base -- to record his seventh save and hand the White Sox their third straight loss. Chicago is 2-9 on the road this season.
Video: CWS@MIN: Perkins strikes out Flowers to end the game
Quintana was also impressive, giving up just one run on six hits and two walks over seven innings, but he was stuck with the hard-luck loss. The Twins scored their lone run in the fifth on a wild pitch with two outs.
"Today was won by a passed ball," Twins right fielder Torii Hunter said. "I've seen it all. It was a great battle by both teams."
Video: CWS@MIN: Gibson hurls eight shutout innings
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Vargas uses legs for first run: At 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, Kennys Vargas isn't known for his speed, but he made two solid baserunning decisions in the fifth to get the Twins on the board. Vargas tagged up from second on a deep fly ball to center from Brian Dozier, and scored on a wild pitch from Quintana.
"It's not too often when Kennys Vargas steals a run," Twins manager Paul Molitor said with a smile.
Video: CWS@MIN: Vargas tags up from second on deep fly ball
Offense's worst enemy: Adam LaRoche's single, Avisail Garcia's double and Conor Gillaspie getting hit by a pitch on a 1-2 count loaded the bases with one out in the second against Gibson. But Flowers grounded into an inning-ending double play. More >
Video: CWS@MIN: Santana starts the 6-4-3 double play
Twins flash the leather in the fifth: Gillaspie connected on a deep drive to right field to open the fifth, but he was robbed of extra bases by Hunter, who made a leaping catch at the wall. Flowers followed with a single before Shuck hit a hard grounder toward first that was snared by a diving Joe Mauer, who was able to get Flowers at second. Micah Johnson hit another solid grounder to second, but Dozier made a sliding play and threw to first to get the final out of the inning.
"I think Torii's catch impacted it a lot," Gibson said. "Mainly, because starting out an inning with a guy on second is a big difference. Any time you start off an inning against a good team with a double, more than likely, you're going to give up a run."
Video: CWS@MIN: Hunter makes a leaping catch in right
A better fate deserved: Quintana has allowed three earned runs on 13 hits over his last 14 innings and has nothing to show for the effort. He endured the loss on Friday by virtue of Minnesota's run in the fifth, but he struck out five and walked two over his 105 pitches and seven innings.
Video: CWS@MIN: Quintana fans five over seven solid innings
HONORING A LEGEND
Prior to Friday's contest, White Sox players and coaches wore sweatbands with "No. 9" and the word "Gracias" to honor franchise legend Minnie Minoso. Minoso became the first black player to suit up for the White Sox 64 years ago on this day, when he homered in his first at-bat against the Yankees. The White Sox are wearing No. 9 uniform patches throughout this season to honor Minoso, who passed away on March 1, 2015, at the age of 90. His 17-year-career spanned five decades.
REPLAY REVIEW
Give White Sox manager Robin Ventura credit for staving off the Twins' first run on Friday. With two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, Eduardo Escobar hit a grounder in the hole that shortstop Alexei Ramirez made a sliding grab of and a one-hop throw to Abreu. Umpire Marvin Hudson ruled Escobar safe, meaning a run would have scored, but Ventura's challenge led to the call being overturned and the inning being over.
Video: CWS@MIN: White Sox challenge safe call in 4th
WHAT'S NEXT
White Sox: Hector Noesi makes just his third start of the season and first on the road Saturday afternoon at Target Field. Noesi started the home opener on April 10 and then pitched again on April 21 against the Indians.
Twins: Right-hander Ricky Nolasco is set to be activated from the 15-day disabled list to start on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. CT. He made just one start before going on the DL with right elbow inflammation. He gave up just an unearned run over five innings in a rehab outing with Class A Cedar Rapids on Sunday.
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