| SEASON | CAREER |
| W2 | 4 |
| L2 | 2 |
| G7 | 27 |
| IP36.2 | 87.0 |
| BB14 | 36 |
| SO23 | 63 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W9 | 118 |
| L10 | 91 |
| G26 | 277 |
| IP181.0 | 1762.0 |
| BB41 | 540 |
| SO159 | 1713 |
Robin Ventura simply wants the Chicago White Sox to forget about their latest miserable showing.
That message might be a bit easier to accept knowing they're still in sole possession of first place in the AL Central.
The White Sox try to rebound and avoid losing a rare series to the Minnesota Twins in Wednesday's finale.
Chicago (73-62) got off to an encouraging start Tuesday, taking a 3-0 lead after one inning, but the game quickly took a turn. The Twins scored seven in the second and 10 in the fifth, and suddenly the White Sox found themselves down 17-4.
Chicago tacked on a couple of runs late with most of its starters on the bench and lost 18-9, its fifth defeat in six games.
The White Sox came out on the losing end despite pounding out a franchise-record 10 doubles, while the Twins managed just three extra-base hits.
Most of the damage from Minnesota's lineup came from the Nos. 6-9 hitters. Ryan Doumit , Chris Parmelee , Trevor Plouffe and Eduardo Escobar were a combined 8 for 18 with two homers, a triple, 12 RBIs and nine runs.
"Everyone contributed up and down our lineup," designated hitter Josh Willingham said. "That's a beautiful thing."
The lopsided defeat to the last-place Twins (56-80) obviously wasn't ideal for a White Sox club seeking a division crown, but Chicago's lead over second-place Detroit remained at one with the Tigers losing to Cleveland earlier in the night.
"It's one of those games where they were putting it in play," Ventura said. "They had good at-bats. It's worse if you make an error and lose a game or play sloppy that way. This is just one of those, we'll forget this one and play (Wednesday)."The White Sox might have better luck in the finale given Jake Peavy 's recent history with the Twins.
His last win came in Minnesota on Aug. 1, when he gave up two runs over eight innings in a 3-2 final. Peavy (9-10, 3.28 ERA) also beat the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field seven days earlier, yielding two runs in six innings.
He hasn't been as sharp lately. The right-hander gave up six runs and five hits over six innings in Friday's 7-4 loss in Detroit, the second time in three starts he yielded at least five runs. Both of those outings came on the road, though, and he owns a 2.23 ERA in his last seven in Chicago.
Peavy has also done an excellent job of shutting down one of Minnesota's top hitters. Willingham had two RBIs Tuesday to bring his season total to 98 - matching his career high set last season with Oakland - but is 0 for 15 against Peavy.
If Peavy and company can come up with a better showing Wednesday, the White Sox should have a good chance to take their eighth straight series from the Twins. Despite Tuesday's embarrassment, Chicago has still won 18 of the last 24 meetings.
The Twins are expected to activate P.J. Walters (2-2, 5.40) from the disabled list for the finale.
Walters made seven starts for the Twins in May and June before being sidelined with right shoulder inflammation. His best outing came at U.S. Cellular Field on May 22, when he threw a five-hitter in a 9-2 victory for his first complete game.
Paul Konerko , who is batting .138 (4 for 29) in his last eight contests, went 2 for 4 with a double in that game.
@
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPS
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Jamey Carroll | 11 | .273 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .333 | .606 | .273 |
| Alexi Casilla | 6 | .333 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .833 | .500 |
| Ryan Doumit | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Jason Marquis | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Joe Mauer | 15 | .267 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .267 | .667 | .400 |
| Justin Morneau | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .667 | 1.167 | .500 |
| Chris Parmelee | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 | 1.334 | .667 |
| Carl Pavano | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .250 | .000 |
| Trevor Plouffe | 9 | .333 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .889 | .556 |
| Ben Revere | 6 | .333 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Denard Span | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Danny Valencia | 8 | .125 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .125 | .250 | .125 |
| Josh Willingham | 8 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .200 | .000 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Adam Dunn | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | .000 |
| Kosuke Fukudome | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .000 |
 Minnesota Twins |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| September 02, 2012 | Josh Willingham | Day-to-Day | Slightly strained left hamstring |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Sore right collarbone |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | 15-Day DL | Strained right sternoclavicular joint |
| August 24, 2012 | Josh Willingham | Day-to-Day | Stiff neck |
| August 12, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Left game - right shoulder injury |
| July 25, 2012 | Anthony Swarzak | 15-Day DL | Mild right rotator cuff strain |
 Chicago White Sox |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 27, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | 15-Day DL | Right elbow flexor strain |
| August 26, 2012 | Gavin Floyd | Day-to-Day | Right elbow discomfort |
| August 25, 2012 | Dayan Viciedo | Day-to-Day | Right shoulder soreness |
| August 19, 2012 | Kevin Youkilis | Day-to-Day | Sore right knee |
| August 18, 2012 | Alejandro De Aza | 15-Day DL | Bruised left ribcage |
| August 18, 2012 | Alejandro De Aza | 15-Day DL | Bruised left ribcage |
CHICAGO (AP) -- Staked to a four-run lead in the first inning, there was no way Jake Peavy was letting this one slip away.
Alex Rios homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
Rios hit a grand slam in the first inning and a two-run shot in the sixth to help extend Chicago's lead in the AL Central to 1 1/2 games over Detroit, which plays Wednesday night.
"Every night you go out it's a huge challenge in front of you," Peavy said. "The bottom line is to grind and flat-out want it more."
The Twins erupted for 18 runs against Chicago pitching Tuesday, but Peavy (10-10) silenced Minnesota's bats a day later, allowing one run on six hits to win for the first time since Aug. 1.
"(Peavy is) the kind of guy you want after a game like that," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "He came out and battled, did great, and Rios hits a couple homers."
"Things look all right again."
Rios gave Peavy all the support he would need with his first-inning slam. Following Dewayne Wise 's leadoff single and walks to Kevin Youkilis and Adam Dunn , Rios ripped a 1-1 pitch from P.J. Walters (2-3) over the left field bullpen for his second career grand slam.
Rios hit his first on Sept. 10, 2011 - a game-winner against Cleveland.
"He's been consistent all year long," Ventura said of Rios. "It's a good day for him to come in here, especially after last night, you get waxed and come back and get something early."
The resurgent 31-year-old then hit a two-run homer in the sixth to chase Walters. It was Rios' third multihomer game this year and sixth of his career.
"I just got a few good pitches and I connected well so that's all you can hope," Rios said. "Hit the ball hard and see what happens."
The White Sox had won just one of their last 10 games against AL Central opponents.
Walters, who tossed his first career complete game at U.S. Cellular Field in May, was not as fortunate this time in his first start since June 13. He made two big mistakes to Rios, but Walters also issued three walks - all of which came around to score.
"I wasn't missing by a whole lot, but enough to be balls," Walters said. "That's the big part of the game - not so much the homers, but the three walks. I don't walk those three guys ... maybe it plays it out a little different."
Walters was charged with six runs over five-plus innings as the Twins lost for the 11th time in 15 games against Chicago this season.
"Take Rios out of the game and we're still playing, but you can't take him out because he took us out," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire quipped.
Ryan Doumit and Chris Parmelee had two hits apiece for Minnesota, and Matt Carson drove in a run with a sac fly in the ninth.
An offense that tormented White Sox pitching a night earlier was virtually nonexistent Wednesday. The Twins had multiple runners on in three of the first six innings, but managed to scratch just one run off Peavy on a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Escobar in the third.
Notes: Twins OF Josh Willingham (hamstring) did not start Wednesday for the second time in three games. He flew out as pinch-hitter in the ninth to end the game. Gardenhire said he hopes Willingham can play in the field Friday in the series opener against Cleveland. ... RHP Liam Hendricks (0-7, 6.11 ERA) will take the hill to open Minnesota's homestand Friday. ... After a day off Thursday, the White Sox continue their homestand against Kansas City with LHP Francisco Liriano (5-11, 5.11) on the mound.
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Minnesota Twins