MINNEAPOLIS — Sonny Gray and four relievers combined on a six-hitter Wednesday afternoon as the Twins beat the White Sox, 3-1.
Ryan Jeffers tripled and singled and scored two runs for the Twins in front of 17,658 at Target Field on an 80-degree day.
There were some scary moments for the Twins.
Shortstop Kyle Farmer took a Lucas Giolito 91-mph fastball directly to his jaw in the fourth inning. He was down for a minute, attended to by trainers and helped from the field with what appeared to be a serious injury.
And designated hitter Byron Buxton left the game as a precaution after flipping over Chicago second baseman Lenyn Sosa on an infield collision in the seventh. Buxton walked easily off the field after remaining down for a brief time.
The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on Jeffers' triple and a groundout. Jeffers' drive to right was misplayed by Gavin Sheets, who fell as the liner went past him to the wall.
Jeffers singled in the eighth and scored on Willi Castro's double for a 2-0 lead. Castro, who entered the game to replace Farmer, scored on Michael A. Taylor's single.
Sosa homered with two outs in the ninth off Jhoan Duran for the only Chicago run.
Gray (2-0) started for the Twins and went five innings, throwing 78 pitches. He gave up three hits, struck out five, and walked two. Jorge Alcala, Jorge López and Griffin Jax each threw a scoreless inning before Duran got the save.
Giolito took the loss. He pitched six innings, throwing 108 pitches. He gave up five hits and struck out seven.
