Twins sweep White Sox

Published 3:58 am Monday, June 23, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota bullpen helped bail out Phil Hughes after the Twins’ ace had uncharacteristic outing Sunday.

Joe Mauer had two hits and two RBIs, and the Twins beat the White Sox 6-5 to complete their first four-game sweep against Chicago in 20 years.

Anthony Swarzak and Casey Fien combined for three shutout innings of relief and Jared Burton earned his first save since May 30, 2013, with a perfect ninth.

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“Everybody was great except for me today,” said Phil Hughes, who lasted just five innings but got the win.

He allowed eight hits and tied a season high by giving up five earned runs. Hughes (8-3), who went at least six innings in his 11 previous outings, allowed his first walk in 107 batters during the White Sox’s five-run third inning.

“I just struggled with command, my off-speed stuff wasn’t great,” Hughes said. “Our bullpen stepped up big today, offense fought back a couple times. That’s huge.”

After Chicago scored five times in the third for a 5-3 lead, Brian Dozier and Mauer had RBI singles and Josh Willingham added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to put the Twins ahead for good.

The Twins last swept Chicago in a four-game series June 9-12, 1994.

“Anytime you sweep anybody is a real good feeling, but anytime you get a four-game it makes it that much more gratifying for our ballclub,” said bench coach Terry Steinbach.