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Twin Wins: Minnesota Wins Final Two Of Series To Tie For Division Lead

POSTED: :33 EDT September 11, 2003

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.


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