Michael Cuddyer blasts Twins past White Sox

Michael Cuddyer's two-run home run in the sixth inning put Minnesota on top for good, and Glen Perkins fought through seven innings to get the victory, as the Twins beat the White Sox 4-3 at the Metrodome.

That's the easy way to put this victory, at any rate.  It's the simple summation; it's the equation reduced as far as possible. Quality start + timely home run = Twins victory.

But it misses some of the details.  It misses Perkins throwing a couple of very bad pitches that the Sox whacked into the left-field bleachers, but otherwise preventing a single Chicago runner from reaching second base.  It misses the Twins bullpen slamming the door with authority after Perkins willed himself through the seventh, as Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan retired the final six Sox hitters.  (Even that statement misses Denard Span's circus catch against the fence for the ninth inning's second out.)

It also misses the bottom of the second inning, when the Sox piled mistake upon mistake to gift Minnesota two runs. With one out and Brendan Harris on first, AJ Pierzynski had an inside fastball go off his mitt, sending Harris to second. Carlos Gomez followed with a routine chopper to third - routine, that is, except for the distal half of Gomez's bat helicoptering in virtually the same direction, and at the same speed, as the ball.  It was enough to distract the third baseman, and put runners on first and second.

With those two mistakes out of the way, the Sox proceeded to give away some runs.  Nick Punto hit a double-play ball, but Gomez nailed second baseman Jayson Nix (pictured), forcing a wild throw into the dugout that scored Harris. Alexi Casilla followed with another dribbler to the pitcher, but John Danks's throw to first was in the turf and past the first baseman, allowing Punto to score.

That's two errors for the Sox, two runs for the Twins - and all thanks to one hit and a series of three infield ground balls, none of which should have been a hit.

One thing that no one missed, though: the Twins are back to .500, and are now just a game behind Chicago in the AL Central race. Detroit lost to Texas, too, pulling Minnesota back within three of the Tigers as well.

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