White Sox pitcher Dan Jennings hit Eddie Rosario with a full-count pitch to lead off the 12th inning.
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Pinch-hitter Joe Mauer drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 2-1 win. Eaton’s mammoth shot, measured at 451 feet, was the longest home run hit by any White Sox batter this season.
Jose Quintana, meanwhile, was almost as masterful; the Twins didn’t put a runner on third base until the sixth inning, when they strung together four hits but managed only one run, on Kenny Vargas’ line single to right, scoring Brian Dozier to tie the game.
Chicago starter Jose Quintana matched Nolasco all night, allowing one run on seven hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Eaton also threw out Robbie Grossman trying to advance from second to third on a flyout in the eighth. “He wasn’t giving in, and we were chasing stuff”.
Eaton threw out two Twins base runners on Friday, giving him 16 assists this season, tops among Major League Baseball outfielders. Kennys Vargas blooped a one-out single to right, scoring Dozier, but Eaton easily gunned down Sano at the plate, who ran through a clear stop sign from third base coach Gene Glynn.
Eaton threw out Miguel Sano at the plate in the sixth as he tried to score on Vargas’ hit.
“He continues to do that”, Ventura said.
Morneau grinned and saluted the crowd before stepping back into the box – and ripping a single to right field.
Justin Morneau was a visiting player for the first time in the city he called home for a decade. First pitch is set for 6:10 at Target Field. In 2006, he became the club’s first AL MVP selection since Rod Crew in 1977.
Mauer is out of the lineup for Friday’s tilt with the White Sox, Brandon Warne of ColdOmahaMN reports. The White Sox send RHP Miguel Gonzalez (2-5, 4.28 ERA) to the mound against Twins LHP Tommy Milone (3-3, 4.97 ERA).
“You feel like you gave it to them if you’re not going to throw strikes”, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.
Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe (rib) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Monday. Gonzalez boasts a 2-5 record and a pedestrian 4.28 ERA but has been solid in five July starts, lasting at least six innings in each turn and posting a 2.76 ERA in that span.
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The Twins (39-63) will face the White Sox again later tonight (Saturday).
