Garcia, White Sox hand Twins first loss
CHICAGO -- Avisail Garcia hit a home run and came within a double of the cycle as the Chicago White Sox beat Minnesota 6-2 on Saturday to hand the Twins their first loss of the season.
Garcia's two-run homer in the sixth was his first of the season and gave Chicago a 5-2 lead, and the White Sox went back-to-back when Geovany Soto lined Justin Haley's pitch over the fence in left field for his third home run of the season.
Garcia also had a second-inning triple as Chicago scored once in the first and twice in the second before the outburst in the sixth.
Miguel Gonzalez (1-0) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out six for Chicago. Gonzalez, who went 5-8 with a 3.73 ERA for Chicago last season, picked up where he left off in 2016 after ending last season 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA over his final five starts.
Minnesota, which was trying to start a season 5-0 for the first time since 1968, had to go to its bullpen early.
Making his first career start and second career appearance, rookie Adalberto Mejia (0-1) struggled. He lasted 1 2/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) and two hits while walking two and hitting a batter.
Acquired last July from San Francisco in exchange for Eduardo Nunez, Mejia was 9-5 with a 3.00 ERA last season in the minor leagues.
Jason Castro's two-run homer in the sixth was his first of the season and briefly pulled Minnesota to within 3-2.
Byron Buxton, who had a pregame meeting with manager Paul Molitor and was dropped to the No. 7 spot in the Minnesota lineup, was 1 for 4 with a double and two strikeouts. Buxton is 2 for 22 with 13 strikeouts this season.
NOTES: Via Skype before Saturday's game, Minnesota manager Paul Molitor, RHP Kyle Gibson and 2B Brian Dozier took part in "Arise With the Guys," an annual prayer service for men at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., where athletes share their life stories. ... The White Sox signed OF Ryan Raburn and assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte. ... On Sunday, Minnesota starts RHP Ervin Santana (1-0, 1.29) against Chicago's Jose Quintana (0-1, 10.13). Quintana, who was expected to be traded sometime this season as the White Sox continue to rebuild, surrendered three home runs on Tuesday against Detroit to tie a career high.