CHICAGO (AP) — Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli jotted down some notes in an effort to remember all the different contributions from his team.
It was quite a list.
Carlos Correa homered and Dylan Bundy shut down Chicago once again, helping the Twins beat the White Sox 5-1 on Sunday.
“It was beautiful all around,” Correa said. “Great performances by a lot of people.”
Jose Miranda added a two-run double in the ninth inning as Minnesota salvaged the finale of the weekend series. Max Kepler scored on Kendall Graveman’s wild pitch in the eighth, and Jhoan Duran turned in some impressive relief work.
The Twins finished with 12 hits after they managed just one during Saturday night’s 13-0 loss — a two-out single by Luis Arraez in the ninth that stopped Dylan Cease’s bid for a no-hitter. They also snapped a seven-game slide on the road.
Correa connected in the fifth, hitting a two-run drive to left-center off Lucas Giolito for his 16th homer. Bundy pitched five scoreless innings to improve to 7-0 with a 3.15 ERA in 10 career appearances against the White Sox.
“Sometimes you face certain hitters and you’re more comfortable facing certain guys with the pitches or the repertoire I have,” Bundy said. “Stuff like that kind of comes into it.”
Fighting for position in the crowded AL Central, the second-place Twins (68-64) moved two games ahead of the White Sox (67-67). Minnesota was one back of division-leading Cleveland coming into the day.
Elvis Andrus had two of Chicago’s seven hits. The White Sox had won four in a row since a stretch of seven losses in eight games.
“We play the way we played this week, watch out,” said bench coach Miguel Cairo, who is running the team while manager Tony La Russa is out with an unspecified medical issue. “We’re going to have a pretty good chance, and the guys are excited about going out there.”
AJ Pollock hit an RBI double off Michael Fulmer in the seventh, but Chicago wasted a chance for a big inning.
With runners on second and third and one out, Leury García bunted right back to Duran for a fielder’s choice that retired pinch-runner Adam Haseley at home. Romy Gonzalez then struck out swinging, ending the inning.
Duran also worked a perfect eighth. The hard-throwing right-hander has allowed just one run in 20 1/3 innings over his last 19 appearances.
“He’s as good of a pitcher of any kind as I think you have in this game at this moment,” Baldelli said.
Bundy (8-6) yielded two hits, struck out four and walked one. The 29-year-old right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this year.
Giolito (10-9) pitched five innings for Chicago, allowing six hits and finishing with five strikeouts and two walks.
“It’s kind of par for the course for the bulk of my season,” he said. “Just not quite there. But I battled. Gave it my all.”
LOOK OUT
Minnesota catcher Gary Sánchez was nearly struck by a full swing by Gilberto Celestino in the on-deck circle at one point.
“He almost hit me, but thank God, nothing happened,” Sánchez said through a translator. “It’s just an accident. It’s fine.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RHP Tyler Mahle went back on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, and LHP Jovani Moran was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul. … RHP Sonny Gray (hamstring tightness) remains on track to pitch Wednesday night against the Yankees, but that could change depending on his next bullpen session.
White Sox: CF Luis Robert (sore left wrist) is expected to return to the starting lineup Monday at Seattle. Robert was activated from the paternity list before Sunday’s game, and RHP Davis Martin was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. … RHP Michael Kopech (strained left knee) threw a bullpen session, and pitching coach Ethan Katz said he looked great. “He’s right there,” Katz said, “so he’ll be back soon with us.” … La Russa missed his sixth straight game. There was no update on his status.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Chris Archer (2-7, 4.52 ERA) faces RHP Jameson Taillon (12-4, 3.97) and the AL East-leading Yankees on Monday in the opener of a four-game series in New York. Archer is looking for his first win since June 25.