CHICAGO — Right-hander Erik Johnson received an early gift in his third major league start Monday when the Chicago White Sox jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning.
“It’s always nice to get that great run support like that,” he said, “but I think for me it was getting that zero in the top of the first that kind of set the rhythm.”
Behind the quick start, the White Sox cruised to a 12-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins to snap a six-game losing streak.
Chicago sent 12 batters to the plate in the first and quickly chased starter Liam Hendriks (1-3) in the opener of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
Johnson (1-2) collected his first career victory. He worked six scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out eight and walking two.
“I think he pitched well,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. “You’re seeing him now for the third time, and he needs to attack the strike zone a little bit more, and there are some things to get better at. But overall it’s good. You don’t give up any runs and you make your way through a lineup, and that’s improvement.”
Johnson had one rocky frame, as the Twins loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Josmil Pinto struck out to end the inning.
Jordan Danks clubbed his fourth home run in the bottom of the sixth, a two-run shot that gave the White Sox an 11-0 lead. Alexei Ramirez capped a 4-for-4 night with a seventh-inning solo homer for a 12-0 advantage.
Minnesota scored its lone run on Chris Parmelee’s eighth-inning RBI single off Chicago reliever Daniel Webb.
“They put up a touchdown in the first inning, and there you go, it kind of takes you out of a ballgame,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Their kid threw the ball decent and did what he had to with a lead, and that was pretty much the story.”
Chicago opened a 1-0 lead as Conor Gillaspie singled home Alejandro De Aza from second with no outs. Paul Konerko’s RBI hit brought home Ramirez for a 2-0 lead.
After Viciedo’s one-out single scored Gillaspie from second, Hendriks walked Danks to load the bases. Gordon Beckham broke an 0-for-15 slump with a run-scoring single to center that knocked in Konerko.
De Aza walked in his second at-bat of the inning, forcing in Viciedo for a 5-0 lead. That was it for Hendriks, who was replaced by Michael Tonkin. The reliever promptly gave up a single down the third base line to Ramirez to drive home Danks and Beckham.
Tonkin got Gillaspie to pop up to second to finally close a 51-minute first inning.
Hendriks threw 61 pitches in his two-thirds of an inning. He gave up seven runs on five hits and three walks.
“I just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Hendriks said. “I couldn’t get into the flow. That was embarrassing. That’s the only way to put it. It’s embarrassing, disappointing.”
The seven runs were the most by Chicago in the first inning since April 21, 2002, when eight runs crossed the plate against the Detroit Tigers.
Adam Dunn and Viciedo clubbed back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning off Cole De Vries to open a 9-0 lead. Dunn’s homer was his 32nd, while Viciedo hit his 13th.
NOTES: White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (7-6, 3.56 ERA) leads the majors with 17 no-decisions in 2013, the most in a season in White Sox history. He’ll make his 31st start of the year Tuesday. … Chicago entered the game 33 games under .500, its worst mark since ending the 1976 season at 64-97. … RHP Addison Reed is on track for 41 saves, which would tie Bobby Jenks (2006) for third most in White Sox history. … Dunn’s fourth-inning homer tied Andre Dawson for 39th place on the all-time list. He needs one walk to tie Willie Randolph (1,243) for 51st all time. … Minnesota has hit 24 home runs against Chicago this year, the most in baseball against the White Sox. … Among American League rookies this month, Pinto ranks first in batting average (.405) and slugging percentage (.703). … Gardenhire still needs four wins to reach 1,000 for his career. … The Twins send RHP Mike Pelfrey (5-12, 5.31 ERA) against Quintana on Tuesday.