Jake Peavy had not been credited with a win since June 25, but the Chicago White Sox right-hander got the perfect cure for that on Sunday afternoon.
He got an opportunity to face the Minnesota Twins' offense.
Peavy (5-5, 4.63 ERA) pitched eight brilliant innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six, and four Chicago home runs powered the White Sox to their first sweep of the Twins in Minnesota since 2004 with a 7-0 victory over the Twins on Sunday afternoon at Target Field.
Brian Duensing (8-10, 4.56 ERA) took the brunt of the damage for the Twins, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits in 6.1 innings of work. He frequently worked from behind in the count, getting first-pitch strikes against just eight of the 28 batters he faced. Alex Burnett worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing a two-run homer to Alexei Ramirez, and Jose Mijares worked two innings of relief, giving up a solo home run to Alex Rios. Chicago's two home runs off of Duensing were solo blasts by Brent Lillibridge and Paul Konerko.
Minnesota's three hits off of Peavy were a first-inning double by Joe Mauer, an infield single by Matt Tolbert in the third (who was subsequently thrown out trying to steal second), and a single by Tsuyoshi Nishioka in the third. The Twins then went without a hit until the bottom of the ninth, when Ben Revere doubled off of reliever Matt Thornton.
Thanks to Detroit's loss to Kansas City on Sunday afternoon, the Twins remain ten games out in the American League Central, but now find themselves 12 games under .500 with today's loss.
The Twins will remain at home for their next series, as the Boston Red Sox will bring the American League's best record (potentially, pending the results of their game tonight against the New York Yankees) to Target Field. First pitch on Monday night is scheduled for 6:00 PM Central, and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN. Scott Baker (8-6, 3.01 ERA) will try to snap the Twins' four-game losing streak, while Boston is scheduled to start knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-4, 4.99 ERA).