White Sox at Twins
The Minnesota Twins entered Saturday with losses in three of their previous four games and began the day holding their breath a bit as Brian Dozier underwent an MRI on his right knee, but the news only got better after that. Coming off an impressive pitching performance by Ervin Santana, the host Twins look to take two of three from the Chicago White Sox in as many weekends when they meet on Sunday.
Dozier eventually was diagnosed with a knee contusion after experiencing soreness following Friday's 2-1 defeat, but his presence wasn't needed in Saturday's 6-0 rout of the White Sox as Minnesota piled up five first-inning runs against Jose Quintana. The early offensive outburst was more than enough support for Santana, who gave up only a third-inning single to Omar Narvaez and a fourth-inning walk to Avisail Garcia for his second career one-hitter and first since June 16, 2012. The White Sox fell for the first time in four games but haven't done much offensively of late, scoring 16 runs over their last six contests - a total heavily inflated by Thursday's 10-4 victory at Cleveland. Chicago is 2-3 against the Twins this season but has tallied two runs or fewer in four of the five meetings.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago Plus, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH James Shields (1-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. Twins LH Hector Santiago (1-1, 2.38)
Shields has produced two remarkably similar outings thus far, giving up a solo homer among the two hits he allowed over 5 1/3 innings both times. While his first such start against Detroit on April 6 was good enough to get him the win, he did not factor in the decision after Tuesday's effort at Cleveland. Shields has struggled versus the Twins' top two hitters - Dozier (11-for-29, three homers, nine RBIs) and Joe Mauer (15-for-48, one, 10) - leaving him with an 8-8 record and 4.33 ERA in 21 career starts against them.
Santiago cruised through the majority of his 6 1/3 innings of work Tuesday at Detroit, but a two-run blast by James McCann in the fifth proved to be enough to send him to his first loss of the season. The 29-year-old New Jersey native, who allowed only two other hits and a walk in the outing, has a 0.88 WHIP despite posting only five strikeouts in 11 1/3 frames. Santiago is 4-1 with a 1.71 ERA in five career starts versus the White Sox, thriving against Jose Abreu (1-for-11) and Garcia (0-for-13).
WALK-OFFS
1. Santana's ninth career shutout and 16th complete game on Saturday was the first complete-game victory by a pitcher in the majors this season.
2. Minnesota went 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position Saturday after White Sox pitchers entered the game allowing the opposition to bat a league-low .100 (7-for-70) in those situations, including 2-for-34 over the previous four games.
3. Chicago 3B Todd Frazier left after the third inning Saturday due to a recurrence of flu-like symptoms.