Trevor Larnach went 1-for-3 with a walk, a home run and two RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins held off a comeback bid for a 4-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Byron Buxton made a diving catch at the warning track with two runners on base to seal the win for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game skid. Luke Keaschall went 1-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases and two runs.
Jacob Amaya and Nick Maton had an RBI apiece for Chicago, which lost for the eighth time in its past nine games.
Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (2-1) allowed one run on eight hits in six innings.
White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (1-3) gave up two unearned runs on three hits in five innings.
Twins closer Jhoan Duran notched his second save despite needing 32 pitches and allowing one run in the ninth. He pumped his fist as he watched Buxton’s diving catch, which prevented the White Sox from scoring a pair of runs and making it 4-all.
The White Sox opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Edgar Quero hit a leadoff single, advanced to third base on a single by Brooks Baldwin and scored on a sacrifice fly by Amaya.
Minnesota evened the score at 1 in the bottom of the frame when Ty France singled to drive in Larnach.
Keaschall scored the go-ahead run for the Twins in the third. He drew a two-out walk, swiped second and scored on a fluke play by the White Sox.
The play unfolded as Larnach hit a soft ground ball with Keaschall on second. Quero, the White Sox catcher, fielded the ball and threw to first. The throw hit Larnach and deflected away from the base, which allowed Keaschall to come around to score.
Quero was given an error on the play, and the run charged to Martin was considered unearned.
The Twins took a 4-1 lead on Larnach’s two-run blast in the eighth. His 434-foot shot to center marked his second homer, both of which have come in the past four games.
The White Sox scored their second run in the ninth on an RBI groundout by Maton.
