MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach homered help the Minnesota Twins beat the last-place Chicago White Sox 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Larnach hit a solo shot in the sixth, his second blast in two games, to make it 4-3. Buxton hit a two-run homer an inning later as Minnesota won its second straight in the series.
Chicago scored all three of its runs in the fifth, one on a wild pitch and another on an error by second baseman Luke Keaschall. Minnesota tied it in the bottom of the inning on Brooks Lee’s sharp single that drove in Ty France.
Twins starter David Festa was pulled after facing two batters in the fifth, marking the third time in three starts that the right-hander didn’t make it through five innings. He allowed two runs — his first runs allowed this season — on four hits and three walks.
Justin Topa (1-1) worked the sixth for the victory, and Danny Coulombe threw the ninth for his first save.
Chicago’s Bryse Wilson made his first start of the year after appearing in relief in nine games this season. He was lifted after 55 pitches in 2 2/3 innings, giving up just one run on five hits. Jordan Leasure (0-1) took the loss.
Key Moment
Buxton, who was 0-4 with three strikeouts in his first four at-bats, homered off Cam Booser in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 6-3 game. He jumped on the first pitch he saw and connected for a 414-foot drive to left-center field.
Key Stat
Keaschall stole two bases Wednesday and has five steals in his first five career games, matching an MLB record for most stolen bases through five games.
Up Next
Right-hander Shane Smith (0-1, 2.82 ERA) will look to salvage a win in the series for the White Sox. Minnesota counters with Chris Paddack (0-2, 7.27), who had his best start of the year last time out in a no-decision.
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