Twins 2 - 6 White Sox
Final
  for this game

Sale wins debut as White Sox down Twins

Apr 12, 2015 - 10:35 PM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Chris Sale had eight strikeouts in his season debut, Adam LaRoche and Gordon Beckham homered and the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Sale (1-0) started the season on the disabled list after breaking a bone in his right foot while unloading his truck during spring training. The Chicago ace gave up one run, five hits and a walk in six innings and threw 72 of his 98 pitches for strikes, improving to 4-0 in his last five starts against the Twins.

"It can always go better, but I'm definitely satisfied with what (I) had today," said Sale. "It felt good to face some major league hitters and be able to get the win."

Beckham hit a two-run homer and LaRoche had a solo shot and two RBI.

Minnesota's Phil Hughes (0-2) surrendered three runs, eight hits and no walks and struck out four to lose a second consecutive start to open the season.

Twins manager Paul Molitor said Sale didn't appear to be affected by a short spring training.

"He came out with a lot of adrenaline," Molitor said. "He was throwing very hard early. After a while, it was a lot more offspeed pitches. He's a tough at-bat for righties and lefties alike."

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with five consecutive hits off Hughes. The first four were singles -- LaRoche's knocked in a run -- and Alexei Ramirez finished the flurry with a double for one of his two RBI.

Doubles by Eduardo Nunez and Danny Santana in the third produced Minnesota's first run but LaRoche got it back for Chicago when he hit his second homer of the season on Hughes' first pitch in the bottom of the inning.

The Twins pulled within a run in the eighth when Torii Hunter followed singles by Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer with an RBI fielder's choice, but Beckham's blast highlighted a three-run bottom of the inning to make it 6-2.

Game Notes

The White Sox outhit the Twins 12-7 ... Minnesota will play its home opener on Monday against Kansas City ... Chicago goes on the road to face Cleveland on Tuesday.






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