MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Willi Castro hit a 3-run home run on his 27th birthday and Joe Ryan pitched six innings for his first win of the year as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 Wednesday.
Castro’s homer capped a four-run second inning against Chicago left-hander Garrett Crochet. It was his second career home run on his birthday and it drove in Austin Martin and Christian Vásquez.
Ryan (1-1) had a pair of three-strikeout innings, but also allowed solo homers in the third to Kevin Pillar and Korey Lee. The Twins righty struck out seven and gave up three runs to win for the first time in five starts.
Minnesota, which had a season-high 13 hits, has won the first three games of the four-game series against the White Sox, who hold the worst record in the majors at 3-21.
Crochet (1-4) surrendered five runs on seven hits in four innings. He’s lost his last three outings.
After the solo homers by Pillar and Lee, Chicago executed a double steal in the fifth to cut Minnesota’s lead to 4-3. Lee beat a throw from Twins catcher Carlos Santana to steal second base, allowing Braden Shewmake to score from third base.
The Twins added two runs in the bottom of the inning. Pinch hitter Max Kepler’s bloop to shallow center drove in Manny Margo, and Kepler later scored on a wild pitch. Kepler has driven in a run in each of his three games since returning from the injured list.
Griffin Jax pitched a scoreless inning for his third save of the year.
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Chicago right-hander Michael Soroka (0-3, 7.50 ERA) is looking for his first win of the year after allowing five runs in each of his last two starts. Right-hander Bailey Ober (1-1, 4.91) will start for the Twins. Ober picked up his first win his last time out.
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