American League Game Summary - Minnesota at Chicago
(Monday, July 23rd)
Final Score: Chicago 7, Minnesota 4
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Same place, different result. Despite pitching
in the same ballpark in which he tossed a no-hitter in 2011, Francisco Liriano
gave up three home runs Monday and White Sox took the opener of a three-game
series against the Twins, 7-4.
Paul Konerko, Adam Dunn and Alex Rios all homered for the White Sox, who
snapped a five-game losing streak.
Gavin Floyd (8-8) overcame control problems to earn the win. Floyd surrendered
three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and six walks, while only striking out
one after being activated from the disabled list prior to the game.
Liriano (3-10), who struck out 25 over his two previous starts, only lasted 2
2/3 innings as he lost his third straight start. He was shelled for seven runs
on seven hits and a walk.
Ryan Doumit smashed his third homer in two days for the Twins, who have now
dropped seven of 11 since the All-Star break.
Already up 3-2 in the third, the White Sox blew the game open with a pair of
home runs. Alejandro De Aza led off the inning with a double and, two batters
later, Dunn crushed his major league-leading 29th home run to center field. It
was only the sixth home run Liriano has ever allowed to a lefty and the first
since May 2011.
After a Konerko single, Rios socked a no-doubt shot to left field to give
Chicago a 7-2 lead after three.
The Twins' first three batters of the game reached base, but Floyd was able to
minimize the damage by inducing a double play off the bat of Josh Willingham,
the first of five the Twins hit into, to escape the jam with only one run on
the board.
De Aza led off the bottom of a frame with a base hit, one of his three on
the night. Kevin Youkilis followed with a walk and, two batters later, Konerko
lofted a three-run home run to right field to give the White Sox a 3-1 lead.
Brian Dozier led off the second with a base hit for the Twins. He reached
third on Drew Butera's knock and scored on a wild pitch.
The Twins picked up an unearned run in the fifth when Joe Mauer singled to
center and Ben Revere scored all the way from first when De Aza committed a
throwing error.
Doumit's solo shot in the eighth inning pulled Minnesota within three runs and
capped the scoring.
White Sox pitcher Brett Myers, who was acquired from the Houston Astros in a
trade on Sunday, made his first appearance with Chicago and retired the only
batter he faced in the eighth inning.
Addison Reed worked around a leadoff double to pitch a scoreless ninth and
pick up his 16th save of the season.
Game Notes
Chicago has won eight of its last nine at home...Floyd is 4-1 with a 1.68
earned run average in his last five starts (six earned runs in 32 1/3
innings)...Rios is hitting .376 with seven home runs and 21 RBI in his last 23
games...Matt Thornton tossed an inning of scoreless relief and topped 500
innings in his career...The White Sox have won five of their last six games
against the Twins...Liriano had allowed just three home runs in his last 70
2/3 innings coming into Monday's outing before giving up three in 2 2/3
innings...Minnesota was 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded
nine...Chicago was 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left four on
base.
07/23 23:44:50 ET

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