CHICAGO (AP) -- Dayan Viciedo homered and drove in four runs, and the Chicago White Sox beat Minnesota 8-2 Wednesday for a three-game sweep of the last-place Twins.
Viciedo hit a two-run single in the second inning and added a two-run homer in the fourth, finishing with three hits. Alex Rios also homered for the White Sox, who have won 10 of their last 11 home games.
Jake Peavy (8-7) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and six hits in six innings with six strikeouts and two walks, helping keep Chicago at least tied with Detroit atop the AL Central.
Kevin Youkilis left the game in the fourth inning due to a sprained left ankle. He had an RBI single in the third before being lifted for a pinch hitter.
Nick Blackburn (4-6) gave up a season-high eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings as the Twins fell a season-worst 18 games below .500. Minnesota went 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position, stranded nine runners and lost to the White Sox for the 15th time in their last 19 meetings.
Peavy got into a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the first, but allowed only one run. Josh Willingham grounded into a double play, and Justin Morneau grounded out.
Viciedo misplayed Joe Mauer's fly ball to left leading off the fourth for an error, Willingham walked and Mauer scored on Morneau's double. But with runners on second and third, Peavy struck out Ryan Doumit, Brian Dozier and Alexi Casilla.
Viciedo's miscue snapped a 109-game errorless streak. It was his first error since moving to the outfield from third base in 2011.
The 23-year-old Cuban hit his 16th homer of the season in the bottom half, a 409-foot, two-run drive over the center-field wall for a 6-2 lead.
Viciedo ran into more trouble in the fifth when he failed to catch Denard Span's one-out line drive -- ruled a double. Viciedo tumbled forward, bending his left wrist as he fell to the ground. Manager Robin Ventura and a White Sox trainer came out to check on Viciedo, who recovered to make a nice retreating catch on Mauer's fly ball and strand Span at second.
Rios' two-run homer in the fifth chased Blackburn, who allowed eight earned runs for the first time since Sept. 28, 2010, at Kansas City.
Span had two doubles for Minnesota. Morneau's double in the fourth was the 250th of his career.
NOTES: White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski (mild right oblique strain) sat out for the second consecutive game. Ventura expects Pierzynski to return Friday. "He could play, but we don't want him to re-injure it and be out for any longer than he has to be," Ventura said. ... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe (bruised right thumb) missed his fifth straight game. Manager Ron Gardenhire said a trip to the 15-day DL is possible if Plouffe doesn't improve by Friday's series opener against Cleveland. ... Scott Diamond (8-4, 3.16 ERA) will pitch the series opener for the Twins against the Indians' (Josh Tomlin 5-7, 5.34). ... Chris Sale (11-3, 2.37) starts for Chicago against Yu Darvish (11-6, 3.88) at Texas on Friday.
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Thursday, May 23 2013 9:26 AM EDT2013-05-23 13:26:38 GMT
Clay Buchholz pitched five-hit ball over seven innings to improve to 7-0, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 Wednesday night to avoid a three-game sweep.
Clay Buchholz pitched five-hit ball over seven innings to improve to 7-0, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 Wednesday night to avoid a three-game sweep.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 11:16 PM EDT2013-05-22 03:16:06 GMT
Jose Quintana took a no-hitter into the seventh before David Ortiz broke it up with a one-out broken-bat single, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Jose Quintana took a no-hitter into the seventh before David Ortiz broke it up with a one-out broken-bat single, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 12:07 AM EDT2013-05-21 04:07:58 GMT
Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Chicago White Sox handed Jon Lester his first loss of the season with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Chicago White Sox handed Jon Lester his first loss of the season with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:19 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:19:31 GMT
Jake Peavy gave up four runs and four hits over six innings and walked five -- two with the bases loaded -- in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
Jake Peavy gave up four runs and four hits over six innings and walked five -- two with the bases loaded -- in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
Saturday, May 18 2013 11:05 PM EDT2013-05-19 03:05:01 GMT
Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer in Los Angeles' five-run seventh inning, and the Angels beat the White Sox 12-9 on Saturday to end Chicago's four-game winning streak.
Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer in Los Angeles' five-run seventh inning, and the Angels beat the White Sox 12-9 on Saturday to end Chicago's four-game winning streak.
Friday, May 17 2013 8:56 AM EDT2013-05-17 12:56:16 GMT
Jeff Keppinger walked with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run - his first base on balls in 141 plate appearances this season - and the Chicago White Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth.
Jeff Keppinger walked with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run - his first base on balls in 141 plate appearances this season - and the Chicago White Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 11:09 PM EDT2013-05-15 03:09:36 GMT
Adam Dunn and Dayan Viciedo homered to back another strong start from Jake Peavy and lead the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Adam Dunn and Dayan Viciedo homered to back another strong start from Jake Peavy and lead the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Monday, May 13 2013 11:32 PM EDT2013-05-14 03:32:18 GMT
Rookie Aaron Hicks hit two home runs and made a leaping catch in center field to take a home run away from Adam Dunn in the Minnesota Twins' 10-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
Rookie Aaron Hicks hit two home runs and made a leaping catch in center field to take a home run away from Adam Dunn in the Minnesota Twins' 10-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.