MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jose Berrios pitched into the eighth inning to win his second straight start, Mitch Garver hit a go-ahead double and the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 Monday night.
Seeking their first AL Central title since 2010, the Twins opened a five-game lead over second-place Cleveland. At 92-58 with 12 games left, Minnesota is assured of its best record since finishing 94-68 in 2010.
Given an extra day of rest between starts, Berrios (13-8) allowed two runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He was rewarded with a standing ovation when he was removed.
Tyler Duffey finished the eighth, Sergio Romo allowed Eloy Jimenez’s homer leading off the ninth before getting an out, and Taylor Rogers needed just eight pitches to finish a six-hitter for his 27th save in 33 chances.
Following a weekend series against the Indians, Minnesota started a final stretch against teams with losing records: the White Sox, Kansas City, and worst-in-the-majors Detroit.
White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez gave up five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Jose Abreu’s sacrifice fly in the first and James McCann’s homer in the second gave Chicago a 2-0 lead, but the Twins tied the score in the bottom half on Jorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly and Nelson Cruz’s RBI single.
After Garver put the Twins ahead for good, Luis Arrarez hit a single off the end of his bat that curved past third baseman Yoan Moncada for a two-run single in the sixth.
