Santana Delivers for Twins

Johan Santana held the Chicago White Sox hitless into the seventh and pitched the Minnesota Twins to a 5-1 victory Wednesday night and a sweep of their three-game series at Chicago.

Backed by two homers from Matthew LeCroy, Santana outpitched Mark Buehrle in a meeting of marquee left-handers.

“With all respect to Buehrle, Randy Johnson and whoever, he’s the best left-hander in the game right now,” Chicago Manager Ozzie Guillen said of Santana.

Santana (12-6) gave up six hits with one walk, and struck out 10 in 8 1/3 innings.

He lost his no-hit bid when Carl Everett hit a bloop single to open the seventh, and Paul Konerko ended his shutout by leading off the ninth with his 31st homer.

The Twins have won six of their last seven.

The White Sox lost their season-high fifth straight and continued their struggles at U.S. Cellular Field, where they are 6-13 in their last 19 games.

Baltimore 5, Oakland 3 -- Emergency starter Eric DuBose didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning at Oakland, and the Orioles sent the A’s to their fourth straight loss.

DuBose took the mound at the last minute after Daniel Cabrera was scratched because of a sore lower back.

Tampa Bay 7, New York 6 -- Alex Gonzalez homered and drove in four runs and Jonny Gomes broke an eighth-inning tie when he scored on Tanyon Sturtze’s wild pitch at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Gonzalez had an RBI single off Al Leiter in the second and tied the score with a run-scoring double off Sturtze (4-2) in the eighth.

Detroit 6, Boston 5 -- Craig Monroe’s two-run double highlighted a five-run first inning against David Wells at Detroit.

Down two entering the ninth, the Red Sox rallied for a run off Fernando Rodney when Gabe Kapler doubled and scored on a single by Edgar Renteria. But David Ortiz hit into the Red Sox’s fifth double play of the game to end it.

Texas 3, Cleveland 0 -- Rookie Chris Young gave up two singles in eight shutout innings at Cleveland, helping the Rangers end an eight-game losing streak.

The 6-foot-10 Young, the tallest player in Ranger history, was too much for the Indians, who had never faced him.

Cleveland didn’t get a runner to third base off the right-hander, who walked one, struck out seven and retired 15 of the final 17 batters. Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his 27th save.