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Chisox Top Twins 5-2 on 5-Run 1st Inning

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

Jose Valentin and Miguel Olivo had two RBIs each in a five-run first inning Monday night as Bartolo Colon and the White Sox beat the Twins 5-2 in the opener of a key four-game series. With the victory, Chicago took a one-game lead in the AL Central at the start of what promises to be a frenetic final three weeks of the season. The teams also play three times next week at the Metrodome.

Minnesota had its five-game winning streak snapped and also lost manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected in the fourth inning after an argument with plate umpire Gerry Davis.

Colon (13-12) allowed 10 hits and made one of the game's best defensive plays, snaring Denny Hocking's line drive up the middle with runners at second and third and no outs in the seventh.

He then fanned Doug Mientkiewicz and got Matthew LeCroy to fly out to end the threat. Colon walked one and struck out four in his seventh complete game of the season.

The White Sox, responding to a loud crowd of 32,807 on a half-price ticket night, got all five of their first-inning runs with two outs against Kyle Lohse (12-11).

Carlos Lee doubled with one out in the first, Frank Thomas walked and after Magglio Ordonez popped out, Carl Everett hit an RBI single.

Paul Konerko walked to load the bases before Valentin blooped a two-run single to center to make it 3-0. Joe Crede followed with a single and then Olivo hit a sinking liner to left center that a diving Shannon Stewart couldn't hold, turning it into a two-run double.

Lohse, 6-1 in his seven previous starts, settled down thereafter and allowed just two hits in his final five innings.

Minnesota got two back in the top of the second on an RBI double by Torii Hunter and A.J. Pierzynski's run-scoring grounder after Corey Koskie had singled and moved up on a wild pitch.

Gardenhire was ejected for the seventh time this season when he argued with Davis in the middle of the fourth, right after first-base umpire Mark Carlson ruled Cristian Guzman's liner over first foul and not fair. Gardenhire also questioned a call earlier when Mientkiewicz had to hold third on LeCroy's grounder past third because a fan fielded the ball, making it a ground-rule double.

Notes:@ The White Sox have won five straight over the Twins and lead the season series 8-5. ... Twins 2B Luis Rivas missed his second straight game with a sore back. ... Shannon Stewart returned to the lineup after sitting out Sunday's game with a sore hamstring. ... The teams shared first place for the previous five days.

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