Trevor Plouffe hit a 2-run home run and the Minnesota Twins loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, but the Chicago White Sox held on for a 5-3 victory Saturday.
Chicago led the entire game. Paul Konerko had a RBI-groundout in the first and then hit a 2-run home run in the third to put Chicago up 3-0. Gordon Beckham's RBI-single in the fourth made it 4-0.
Minnesota cut the lead to 4-2 in the seventh on a 2-run home run by Plouffe. The White Sox added another run in the top of the ninth on an RBI-single by Alexei Ramirez to make it 5-2.
The Twins loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning and got a run when Justin Morneau grounded into a double play, but the next batter, Plouffe, grounded out to end the game.
Francisco Liriano (6-11, 5.24 ERA) allowed 2 runs and struck out 9 batters in 7 innings to give Chicago its second straight win. Samuel Deduno (6-4, 3.84 ERA) took the loss for the Twins after giving up 4 runs and striking out 6 in 4 innings.
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