MINNEAPOLIS _ The Twins made sure on Saturday that Hector Santiago would get his first win with the club.
An impressive offensive onslaught helped the Twins pound the White Sox, 11-3, at Target Field. The Twins had seven extra-base hits, including four home runs, to lead the way.
Santiago (11-8 went six innings to earn his first win since being traded to the Twins on Aug. 1. His margin for error was substantial after being staked an 11-2 lead after three innings.
Chicago's Adam Eaton and the Twins' Brian Dozier traded leadoff home runs in the first inning. For Dozier, it was his 34th homer of the season, giving him sole possession of 11th place on the all-time list for second baseman and three shy of the AL record of 37 hit by Bret Boone in 2001.
The White Sox took a 2-1 lead in the second when Carlos Sanchez singled home Avisail Garcia. Garcia should have been out at the plate but Eddie Rosario's one-hop throw was dropped by Juan Centeno.
It didn't matter, as Byron Buxton gave the Twins a 3-2 lead with two-run homer in the second that was estimated at 439 feet. Buxton hammered a belt-high fastball by James Shields in the deck above the bullpens.
It would be a prelude to the third inning, during which the Twins sent 13 batters to the plate while scoring a season-high eight runs. The inning included a two-run home run by Miguel Sano, a throwing error by Todd Frazier that led to six unearned runs and a three-run homer by Trevor Plouffe. Thanks to hits, errors and walks, ten straight hitters reached base in the inning.
That put Santiago on cruise control. He put up scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth before Melky Cabrera got him for a solo home run in the sixth. In six innings, Santiago gave up three runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
