Vazquez stops Twins to end winless skid

In Javier Vazquez’s native Puerto Rico, weather like this is unheard of -- bone-chilling temperatures and numbing winds that make pitching a greater challenge.

“I don’t think anybody is comfortable pitching in that weather, but everybody is out there playing on the same page. You know it was a cold day, but I felt good out there,” Vazquez said after he yielded one hit in 6 2/3 innings Saturday to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Minnesota Twins, 3-0.

Vazquez ended a long victory drought and four Chicago relievers completed the three-hit shutout on another chilly day at U.S. Cellular Field.

“I’ve known since the beginning of last week that Friday was going to be cold. So I was prepared for that. It got canceled, but I got prepared for today also,” Vazquez said. “You don’t want to play in the weather. But you got to play in this weather.”

After Friday night’s game was postponed by cold, the game time temperature Saturday was 31 degrees with a 20-degree wind chill, thanks to winds at 19 mph. Players and the base umpires covered their ears and an announced crowd of 33,278 was bundled up as if it were a football game.

Vazquez, who went 0-6 in his final 10 starts last season and then received a three-year, $34.5-million contract extension this spring, gave up a leadoff single to Michael Cuddyer in the second inning. It was Minnesota’s only hit until Luis Castillo beat out an infield single with two out in the eighth.

Twins starter Carlos Silva gave up five hits and one run in five innings, that coming in the first when former Angel Darin Erstad singled to end an 11-pitch at-bat, Jim Thome walked and Paul Konerko singled to drive in Erstad.