Twin Wins: Minnesota Wins Final Two Of Series To Tie For Division Lead
POSTED: :33 EDT September 11,
2003
Chicago, IL -- Brad Radke struck out five to earn his third
complete game of the season, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 victory over
the Chicago White Sox in the finale of a four-game series at US Cellular
Field.Minnesota claimed the final two games of this series to earn a split and move
into a tie with Chicago for the AL Central lead. The teams will meet again for
a three-game set in Minnesota from September 16-18. Radke (12-10) yielded just two runs on nine hits and didn't walk a batter,
picking up his 33rd career complete game. He is 4-0 over his last five starts. Frank Thomas and Jose Valentin homered for the White Sox, who have lost two
straight on the heels of a five-game winning streak. Valentin finished with
two hits. Looking to become the first 20-game winner in the majors, Chicago starter
Esteban Loaiza took the loss, his first in six starts. Loaiza (19-7)
surrendered five runs on seven hits over seven frames. He fanned nine and
walked one. Thomas gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning with his 40th homer
of the season, but the Twins erased that deficit with a four-run rally in the
third. Jacque Jones led off the frame with a base hit to right field and advanced to
third when A.J. Pierzynski singled to center. Cristian Guzman stepped to the
plate next and was beaned in the leg by a 1-0 pitch, loading the bases. Shannon Stewart delivered the big blow with a three-run double to the right-
center field gap. He moved to third on an errant throw from the outfield and
scored when Denny Hocking lofted the next pitch into center for a sac fly,
giving the Twins a 4-1 lead. Minnesota added to its lead in the seventh when Pierzynski led off with a
double and scored later in the frame on Denny Hocking's single to center
field. In the ninth, Valentin belted a two-out homer just over the wall -- and just
out of the reach of Stewart's glove -- in left field. Radke remained in the
game, however, and got Joe Crede to ground into the final out.
Copyright 2003. Courtesy of SportsNetwork.








