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Kubel's grand slam help Twins rout White Sox

Apr 10, 2008 - 5:15 AM By Gene Chamberlain PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- One grand slam deserves another.

Two days after Joe Crede led the Chicago White Sox to a victory with a grand slam, Jason Kubel returned the favor as the Minnesota Twins rolled to a 12-5 triumph on Wednesday.

With Minnesota already ahead, 7-3, Kubel belted his third career grand slam off reliever Nick Masset in the sixth inning to break open the game. The blast also helped the Twins to their biggest offensive output since July 6, 2007, also at U.S. Cellular Field.

Kubel also hit his second career grand slam here on July 6.

"I love this place," Kubel said. "I feel like I can pretty much go out anywhere in this field. It's like, our park is so big and you've got the big wall. This place, it's outdoors first of all, and the ball just travels well. It's a good-sized field, but the ball just travels well."

The Twins entered the game struggling at the plate, having scored more than four runs only once in eight games. But the grand slam helped offset solo home runs by Crede, Paul Konerko and Nick Swisher and end Chicago's five-game winning streak.

The Twins collected a season-high 13 hits.

"I think it was a good night for us offensively," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We beat the ball around and took some pitches early and got a lead. They kept hitting those solo homers and getting back into it, but we hit the big one, the big grand slam.

"We used the whole field all the way around and put the ball in play."

The Twins started out playing like the "piranhas" nickname given to them by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. They got to starter John Danks (0-1) for seven runs and seven hits - all singles - in 2 1/3 innings.

Kubel also had a part in the early outburst, following Delmon Young's RBI single in the first with a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-0 lead.

Kubel, who finished with six RBI, drove in another run in the third with a single off Danks, who surrendered more hits (three) in the first inning of his second start than he did his entire first outing (two).

"The game is about throwing strikes, getting ahead of the count," Guillen said. "He couldn't do it today. He was behind in the count, couldn't hit the spots."

The Twins built a 5-0 lead before getting their first extra-base hit, a two-run double by Carlos Gomez off Masset that capped a five-run third. Earlier in the frame, Joe Mauer scored on a bases-loaded walk to Craig Monroe by Danks, and Mike Lamb greeted Masset with an RBI single.

The White Sox continued their early-season display of power. They raised their American League-leading total of home runs to 14 on blasts by Swisher in the third inning, Konerko in the fourth and Crede a frame later.

Scott Baker (2-0) allowed three runs and five hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in five innings. Brian Bass came on and worked the final four innings, yielding two runs - one earned - and three hits en route to his first career save.

Lamb, who also plated a run in the sixth with a double, left the game in the ninth after fouling a 1-2 pitch off his right ankle.

Brendan Harris finished with three hits and three runs scored for the Twins, who halted a two-game skid.

Guillen hopes his team rebounds from the decisive loss in the series finale Thursday.

"Today's over, I just wonder how (the team is) going to show up tomorrow," Guillen said. "Tomorrow is a big day for us. I hope they show up with the same attitude. Every time they lose a game, they have to come back and be better."