MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Phillip Humber hurled seven scoreless innings Monday, handing the Chicago White Sox a 2-1 decision over Minnesota in the first game of a doubleheader.
Humber (9-8) held his former Twins teammates to six hits and didn't issue a walk in the outing, during which he placed 71 of his 100 pitches for strikes.
The right-hander celebrated his return to the starting rotation with his first victory since July 2. Humber had been on the DL after sustaining a facial bruise from a ground ball that struck him in the forehead last month.
Matt Thornton tossed 1 1/3 scoreless frames but the White Sox had to hang on in the ninth.
Sergio Santos walked Danny Valencia and Brian Dinkelman (3-for-4) sent him to third with a single.
A sacrifice fly from Luke Hughes cut Chicago's lead to one run but Chris Sale registered his sixth save when he fanned Jason Repko for the final out.
Alexi Ramirez provided an RBI double and Alejandro De Aza drove in the Chisox's other run.
Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak (3-6) took the hard-luck loss, yielding two runs on seven hits over eight frames as the Twins dropped the opener of a four-game series at Target Field.
