MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Chris Sale gave up just three hits in a six-inning effort Friday that sent the Chicago White Sox to a 6-0 blanking of Minnesota.
Chicago maintained its one-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central after the Tigers shut out Cleveland earlier in the evening. Both Detroit and Chicago have 19 games to play.
Sale (17-6) was working with an extra day's rest after his scheduled start against Detroit was rained out on Thursday.
He struck out five in winning his second straight start and gave way to Brett Myers after six innings. Myers did not give up a hit through the seventh and eighth innings and Matt Thornton came on in the ninth to finish up the shutout.
Dayan Viciedo drove in Chicago's first two runs with a ground out in the second and a bases-loaded walk in the fourth. Kevin Youkilis contributed a solo homer during Chicago's two-run seventh.
The loss went to Esmerling Vasquez (0-2), who gave up three runs on three hits with four walks in 5 2/3.
