Advertisement

Ervin Santana's one-hit gem sends Minnesota Twins past Chicago White Sox

By Brian Hall, The Sports Xchange
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana throws a pitch. File photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana throws a pitch. File photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo

MINNEAPOLIS -- Catcher Chris Gimenez went to the mound during the fourth inning to give pitcher Ervin Santana a chance to reset after a walk, a wild pitch and a long foul ball by Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox.

It was the only break Santana would need on Saturday.

Advertisement

Santana pitched a one-hitter for his ninth career shutout and the Minnesota Twins scored five runs in the first inning to beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-0, on Saturday.

"It's just kind of a chance to kind of break the monotony real quick, and call timeout and just run out there and tell him he looks good or something," Gimenez joked after the game.

"Just to get him to stop thinking about it real quick, then we're good to go to turn around and roll back through the rest of the lineup."

Advertisement

Santana (3-0) gave up one walk, struck out eight and extended his scoreless innings streak to 18. Minnesota earned a split in the first two games of the series.

"I never trying to do anything besides my plan," Santana said of pitching with the early lead. "I have a plan. Our hitters did a great job today and I'm just trying to put zeros on the board no matter what. That's what I did today."

The Twins jumped on White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana (0-3) with four straight hits in the bottom of the first inning. Max Kepler capped the big frame with a two-run triple.

"They started the game aggressive, but the ball run a little through the middle," Quintana said. "I get a couple ground balls like I want, but there was nobody there. That happens, so you just try to get by."

Santana (3-0) has been nearly unhittable early this season. He's allowed five hits in 22 innings and beat Chicago for the second time in a week. He's allowed one run in his three starts, that coming on Opening Day against Kansas City.

Santana retired the final 18 batters he faced after walking Avisail Garcia to start the fourth inning. He finished with 107 pitches.

Advertisement

"You don't want to get too carried away with the emotion of a guy having a one hit or shutout, but he deserved the chance," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said.

"He's earned the chance. I'm not sure how far I was going to go there, but it didn't matter. He made it quick the last six outs."

Robbie Grossman added two hits, two walks and an RBI and Kepler also had two hits for the Twins.

Grossman led off with a double to left field and six of the first seven batters had hits for the Twins. Mauer, Sano and Polanco each had RBI hits before Kepler lined a ball straight down the right-field line.

"With a type like Quintana, you just have to attack the balls early because once you're down a strike or two, it's tough to battle back," Kepler said. "He left a lot of balls up today and we took advantage."

Quintana induced Joe Mauer to bounce out on a check swing dribbler to leave the bases loaded.

Chicago's No. 1 starter, Quintana managed to go 5 2/3 innings before departing. He allowed five runs on nine hits and five walks with five strikeouts. He's given up 13 runs in 16 1/3 innings (6.75 ERA) this season.

Advertisement

"What you saw in terms of his tenacity to keep us playing the game for the next five innings that he threw was vintage Q," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He's always giving you a chance, and I think he gave us a chance.

"The fact that they scored five runs in the first had nothing to do with anything else other than us not being able to come back on Santana and try and chip away."

NOTES: Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier was held out Saturday after experience swelling in his right knee following Friday's game. Dozier had an MRI exam, which came back clean and he said he could have played, if needed. ... Chicago 3B Todd Frazier left the game after striking out in the fourth. The White Sox announced he had a recurrence of flu-like symptoms, which had caused him to miss two games this week. ... Twins 3B Miguel Sano singled in the first and has reached base safely in all 10 games he has played this season. ... White Sox OF Jacob May was back in the lineup in center field after being held out for three games. The rookie was 0-for-14 this season coming into the game and finished Saturday 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. ... The three-game series ends Sunday with Minnesota LHP Hector Santiago (1-1, 2.38 ERA) squaring off against Chicago RHP James Shields (1-0, 1.69).

Advertisement

Latest Headlines