Minnesota Ahead in the Fifth Inning, and Taj Bradley Settled Down After a Rough Start to Lead the Twins to a 6-4 Win Over the Chicago White

Bradley (11-6) allowed two home runs in the first inning but retired the next 10 batters he faced, giving up four runs on four hits over five innings. Four Twins relievers allowed two hits over four scoreless innings, and Venezuelan Yoendrys Gómez earned his 21st save. The Twins moved within six games of the White Sox in the AL Central and 3 1/2 games back of the third wild-card spot in the American League.

The White Sox lost for the fifth time in seven games. Munetaka Murakami hit his 30th home run in the first inning, a two-run shot. Three White Sox players have hit 30 or more home runs — the others are Colson Montgomery and Cuban Miguel Vargas — for the first time since 2008. Murakami became the fourth Japanese player to hit at least 30 home runs in a season.

Montgomery hit his 31st later in the first, a record for White Sox shortstops. Starter Anthony Kay (9-8) allowed a baserunner — on a Vargas error — over three innings before the Twins scored twice in the fourth. Kody Clemens hit into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, and Brooks Lee added an RBI double.

Jeffers hit his 14th homer in the fifth off Kay, who allowed five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Vargas drove in a run with a single in the fifth before Kaelen Culpepper extended the Twins' lead with an RBI double in the seventh. Jeffers stood out with a key homer that pushed Minnesota past Chicago.

Bradley, after a difficult start, stabilized and guided the victory. The Twins narrowed the division gap, while Murakami shined with his 30th homer. Kay allowed five runs in just over four innings.