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White Sox hammer Twins, remain in first place

Jul 31, 2008 - 4:53 AM By Brian Hall PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Chicago White Sox appear to be comfortable leading the American League Central Division.

Carlos Quentin drove in four runs and Gavin Floyd shut down the Minnesota Twins, again, as Chicago posted an 8-3 victory on Wednesday to keep the top spot in the division. Alexei Ramirez added a three-run homer for Chicago, which snapped a five-game losing streak in Minnesota.

The White Sox (60-46) regained a 1 1/2-game lead over the Twins (59-48) in the Central. They have been in first place since May 17 and for 101 days total this season.

"We have to take it one day and see what happens," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The good thing about this ballclub; the way we lost yesterday and everybody was talking about the way we lost. All of a sudden, it's about how you bounce back. We swung the bat well, we pitched well, we made the plays and that's our expectation."

Losing the first two games of the four-game series in Minnesota didn't put the White Sox into panic mode.

"We lost two games and it gets trickled down to a half-game lead and it's like, 'Oh man, they're coming back'," Nick Swisher said. "We don't really think that way. We kind of take each game a day at a time and there is still a lot of baseball left to be played."

Floyd (11-6) was in control early, taking a perfect game into the fourth inning before Denard Span led off with a single. Floyd finished with 7 2/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out four.

Floyd has dominated Minnesota. In May, the 25-year-old righthander had a no-hitter broken up with one out in the ninth. He is 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA against the Twins this season.

"I believe what I can do," Floyd said. "Every team, whoever I am facing, I am real confident that I can get people out, and whatever happens, happens. Once the ball leaves your hand, you can't control anything. So I just try to attack and get outs."

Livan Hernandez (10-8) continued his struggles for Minnesota. He lasted four innings after surrendering five runs and nine hits and two walks. Hernandez has given up at least five runs in three of his last four outings.

Quentin opened the scoring with a solo home run - his league-leading 28th - in the first. He has 83 RBI on the season, tied for second in the league with Minnesota's Justin Morneau.

"We knew we were going to be in for a fight and we accepted that challenge," Quentin said. "They took the first two. We got this game. We'll be looking forward to coming back tomorrow and keeping that momentum."

Jermaine Dye brought home Orlando Cabrera with a sacrifice fly in the third.

In the fifth, Ramirez and Josh Fields each singled and Cabrera walked to load the bases. Quentin then hit a bases-clearing double to make it 5-0.

"Carlos Quentin is hotter than donut grease, according to my book of sayings," Swisher said.

Meanwhile, Floyd was in control. He got the Twins to ground out six times in the first three innings. The defense did its job behind Floyd, including Cabrera getting speedy Carlos Gomez with a leaping throw to end the third.

"Getting behind early against a good pitcher like that, you always know you're in for a rough night," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It was just one of those nights where they jumped us early. We couldn't do much about it."

In the fourth, Minnesota finally broke through with a single run, but had the potential for more.

Span singled and Nick Punto walked, but Floyd got Joe Mauer to ground into a double-play. Morneau followed with an RBI double, plating Span. Jason Kubel then struck out looking.

Ramirez hit his ninth homer in the seventh.

The Twins added two runs in the ninth as Delmon Young had a RBI double and Jason Kubel hit into a RBI groundout.

"We have a chance to do it again tomorrow," Gardenhire said. "We'll come out ready to play, just like they will. I hope it will be a good baseball game tomorrow and we'll get after it."