MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ryan Jeffers hit a two-out RBI single in the 12th inning to cap a relentless late rally by the Minnesota Twins that secured a 5-4 victory and a series sweep over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
Jesse Scholtens (1-3) loaded the bases with nobody out before enticing Christian Vázquez to hit a 2-0 fastball into a shortstop-to-home-to-first double play. That left a runner on third for Jeffers, who lifted the Twins (53-48) to a three-game lead on Cleveland in the AL Central for their largest margin in more than five weeks.
Emilio Pagán (5-1) pitched a perfect 12th for the victory, stranding the automatic runner at third in his latest solid appearance following a rough 1 1/2 seasons to start his Twins career.
Alex Kirilloff hit a tying RBI double in a three-run ninth inning against Kendall Graveman, who took his fourth blown save in 12 attempts.
Chicago wasted a solid performance by Lucas Giolito, who could be on the move ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The right-hander struck out nine in five scoreless innings.
Automatic runner Willi Castro stole third base to put the Twins in position to win it in the 11th, but Kirilloff's smash was caught by leaping first baseman Yasmani Grandal. Then Joey Gallo's drag bunt attempt sailed up in the air and all the way past the base to Grandal to end that inning.
Tim Anderson put the White Sox back in front with a two-out, two-strike RBI double in the 10th against closer Jhoan Duran. Then Gallo used hustle and instinct to tie the game again.
Entering as the automatic runner, he took third on a wild pitch by Tanner Banks and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Farmer. Rookie right fielder Oscar Colás made a running catch of the shallow popup, but he fell down and threw late to the plate after scrambling to his feet.
Giolito allowed six hits and walked three. He has surrendered just two runs and 13 hits over 18 innings in three turns against the Twins this season.
Zach Remillard hit his first major league home run and had two RBIs. Eloy Jiménez also homered for the White Sox against Bailey Ober, who logged his seventh straight quality start of six innings or more and three earned runs or less.
The White Sox scored first in all three games, but the fast start did them little good.
Graveman allowed the first three batters to reach in the ninth, including an RBI double by Castro, who like Gallo appeared for the first time in the series after being sidelined by pinkeye. Carlos Correa hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. Two batters later, Kirilloff hit a tying double down the left-field line.
STILL SWINGING
Jiménez has been playing through a sore left groin muscle, still in the lineup as the designated hitter despite only being able to run at about 60 percent of his regular speed.
Manager Pedro Grifol is staying with Jiménez with first baseman Andrew Vaughn sidelined by a bone bruise in his left foot for the fourth straight game. The White Sox will decide soon whether to place Vaughn on the injured list.
MOVING OVER?
Moncada began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte last week and is expected back by the end of the month. Grifol said he's thinking about giving Jake Burger, who has made 50 starts at 3B, some time at second base with an eye toward being able to keep the team's home run leader in the lineup alongside Moncada.
UP NEXT
White Sox: After an off day, RHP Michael Kopech (4-8, 4.29 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday night to start a two-game series at home against their crosstown interleague rival. RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 3.38 ERA) pitches for the Cubs.
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda (2-5, 5.10 ERA) starts on Monday night, beginning a three-game series against Seattle. RHP Luis Castillo (6-7, 3.04 ERA) takes the mound for the Mariners.
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