Buehrle, White Sox Avoid Twins Sweep

The ovation was loud and long, the crowd sending a message to Mark Buehrle as he walked off the mound.

Whether the fans were thanking him or telling him it’s about time can be debated. This can’t: Buehrle had his best game in months, and the Chicago White Sox got a much-needed victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Buehrle won for the second time in two months, A.J. Pierzynski and Joe Crede hit consecutive home runs and the White Sox won, 6-1, Sunday avoid a three-game sweep and cut the Twins’ lead in the AL wild-card race to half a game.

Buehrle (11-11) left to a standing ovation after giving up consecutive singles to Luis Castillo and Nick Punto with one out in the eighth.

Mike MacDougal relieved, and Mike Redmond grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Buehrle -- 2-7 in his last 11 starts -- gave up one run and nine hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter.

“That’s what we’re all used to seeing,” the Twins’ Michael Cuddyer said. “He had good life on his fastball today. He was pounding guys in. His cutter was working in, and he was keeping guys off balance with his changeup and his curveball.”

Carlos Silva (8-12) gave up three home runs after giving up five in a loss to Baltimore.

The teams end the regular season with a three-game series at Minnesota that could be for a playoff spot.

“I expect that,” White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen said.

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ROUNDUP

Detroit 7, at Cleveland 1: Kenny Rogers (14-6) won his third straight start and the Tigers backed him up with four home runs to end a four-game losing streak. Curtis Granderson led off the game with a homer and Marcus Thames, Carlos Guillen and Ivan Rodriguez later connected for the Tigers, who averted a sweep and won for only the sixth time in 19 games since Aug. 7, when they held a 10-game lead in the American League Central. They now lead by five games.

at Seattle 6, Boston 3: Rookie Cha Seung Baek took a shaky no-hit bid into the sixth inning, Raul Ibanez hit a grand slam and the Mariners swept the Red Sox in a three-game series for the first time since 1989. Baek (1-0) was not overpowering and walked five in 5 2/3 innings. Boston’s David Ortiz hit his league-leading 47th home run.

at Texas 3, Oakland 0: Vicente Padilla (13-8) allowed four hits over eight innings and Matt Stairs homered for the Rangers, who stopped the Athletics’ three-game winning streak. Dan Haren (12-10) had also won six straight decisions for the AL West-leading A’s, but Padilla improved to 3-1 in his six starts against Oakland this season.

at Toronto 10, Kansas City 6: Ted Lilly (11-11) won in his first start since tussling with Manager John Gibbons last Monday in the dugout tunnel, and Bengie Molina hit a grand slam. “What happened last start was unlike both of us. I think we learned a lot from it,” Lilly said of he and Gibbons.

at Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 4: Miguel Tejada singled in the winning run with one out in the ninth inning, extending the Devil Rays’ road losing streak to 10 games.