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Twins pummel White Sox behind four homers

Jun 23, 2015 - 5:14 AM Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Kennys Vargas drove in four runs on a career-high four hits to lead the way in the Minnesota Twins' 13-2 rout of the Chicago White Sox at Target Field.

Vargas hit one of four Minnesota homers as the Twins dealt the White Sox a seventh straight road loss and continued their recent dominance of Chicago. Joe Mauer, Eduardo Nunez and Brian Dozier also went deep in Minnesota's seventh win in its last eight matchups with its AL Central rival.

Dozier finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and Byron Buxton produced three hits and three runs scored in the prized rookie's first game out of the leadoff spot.

"A lot of guys had good nights offensively," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "There were a lot of contributions."

The offensive barrage was backed by six effective innings from Tommy Milone (4-1), who yielded 10 hits but held the White Sox to two runs. Chicago stranded 10 runners in losing for the ninth time in its last 11 overall.

John Danks (3-8) allowed three of Minnesota's homers and was pelted for nine runs -- five earned -- over 5 1/3 innings to extend his career-long troubles against the Twins.

"I stunk," Danks said. "There's really no other way to put it."

Adam LaRoche went 2-for-4 and knocked in both Chicago runs on a third-inning single.

Danks got through the first three innings without much damage, but served up a homer to Mauer in the fourth that tied the game at 2-2 and paved the way for a five-run outburst from the Twins.

Torii Hunter followed with a walk before taking third on Trevor Plouffe's grounder that Chicago shortstop Alexei Ramirez threw past the bag on a force attempt. After Kurt Suzuki's sacrifice fly sent Minnesota in front, Vargas lashed a single to center that plated Plouffe, and Nunez ended an eight-pitch battle with a long drive into the second deck in left that increased the lead to 6-2.

Vargas also reached the second level with his blast on Danks' final pitch in the sixth. The three-run shot came after Plouffe doubled and Eddie Rosario reached on an infield single.

The Twins tacked on two more runs during the inning after Danks departed, with Hunter's double sending home Nunez and Buxton for an 11-2 advantage.

Dozier's 14th homer of the season, a towering shot off Junior Guerra that preceded a Buxton single in the eighth, capped off Minnesota's barrage.

Buxton staked the Twins to an early 1-0 edge by hustling out a first-inning double and racing home on Dozier's single to left. It stayed that way until the third, when the White Sox tagged Milone for four two-out hits to go ahead.

After loading the bases on an Avisail Garcia single, a double from Jose Abreu and a walk to Melky Cabrera, LaRoche shot a base hit up the middle to give Chicago a 2-1 advantage.

Buxton kept Minnesota down by one, however, with a laser to the plate that nabbed Cabrera after Ramirez singled. The top prospect had another outfield assist in the fourth, cutting down Gordon Beckham attempting to stretch a leadoff single.

Game Notes

Danks fell to 7-15 lifetime against the Twins and has lost nine of his last 10 decisions in the series. He was rocked for seven runs -- three earned -- in 2 1/3 innings in a 13-3 setback at Target Field on May 3 ... Danks has lost four straight starts overall for the first time since Aug. 31-Sept. 18, 2013 ... Buxton entered the contest 3-for-25 in eight games since being promoted from Double-A Chattanooga on June 14 ... The White Sox are now 4-11 at Target Field since the start of last season.