Santana K's 10 as Twins blast ChiSox

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Johan Santana isn't just winning games these

days. He's changing them.

Santana struck out 10 in seven innings and the Twins hit three

home runs in a 10-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday

night.

Santana (4-3) scattered five hits and struck out at least one

batter in all seven of his innings to win his fourth straight

start.

"He's a handful because he knows how to pitch," White Sox

slugger Jim Thome said. "When he's on the mound, he changes the

whole complexion of the game."

Justin Morneau, Tony Batista and Joe Mauer homered for the

Twins, who roughed up Jon Garland for their third straight win and

fifth in six games as they try to climb out of a big hole left by a

9-15 April.

Garland (2-2) was shaky for the White Sox, giving up seven runs

and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings, proving no match for Santana, who has

been simply outstanding in May.

The left-hander reached double-digit strikeouts for the third

time in four starts and 26th time in his career. He has allowed

just four runs in three starts this month.

"He was as good as you can do it," Twins manager Ron

Gardenhire said. "He kept them off balance and kept attacking

them."

Starting the evening 8½ games behind the defending World Series

champs in the AL Central, the Twins needed Santana at his best.

An awful April included a three-game sweep at the hands of the

White Sox in Chicago in which they were outscored 23-6. Even more

trouble followed with a three-game sweep in Detroit where the final

tally was 33-1.

"These guys kicked our butts at their place," Torii Hunter

said. "You don't forget that."

The last time Santana lost a game, it was at Chicago against

Mark Buehrle. Santana left in the seventh trailing 2-1 in a game

the Twins lost 7-1.

That dropped Santana's record to 0-3, but he has regained his

All-Star form in May, going 3-0 to get above .500 for the first

time this season. And facing the struggling Garland, who hasn't won

since April 18, it was no contest.

"It has a little to do with confidence," Garland said. "I

don't care who are, you're going to press a little bit when things

aren't going your way. The best way to get over that is to pitch a

good ballgame. I need to do that to get back on track."

Garland wasn't hit particularly hard Friday night. Morneau's

two-run homer in the second was almost taken away by a leaping

Brian Anderson in center field, and Batista's solo shot leading off

the sixth just reached the seats in left to give the Twins a 6-0

lead.

The Twins scored three runs in the fourth on five hits, all soft

singles that dropped in front of Chicago's outfielders.

The big one came with the bases loaded and two outs, when Luis

Castillo dropped a two-run single just over the head of shortstop

Juan Uribe for a 5-0 lead. Castillo had three hits and three RBI.

"He threw the ball better than it showed on the scoreboard,"

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "That's what I go by."

With the big cushion, and no no-hitter to worry about, Santana

kept one of the league's most potent offenses at bay.

Santana took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning during his

last start against Detroit. But Pablo Ozuna led off the game with a

shot to right-center. Ozuna was cut down trying to stretch the

double into a triple, thanks to a perfect relay from right fielder

Michael Cuddyer to second baseman Castillo to Batista at third.

Paul Konerko homered leading off the seventh, but only Ozuna and

Joe Crede managed more than one hit in the game for Chicago.

The only thing Santana had to worry about was staying loose

during a long fourth inning in which the Twins sent eight batters

to the plate.

"We'll take that," he said with a smile. "If I have to do

that every single inning, I'll take that."

The White Sox can hardly be worried about one loss. They still

hold the majors' best record at 23-11, though the Tigers are

nipping at their heels just 1½ games back after a 5-4 victory over

Cleveland on Friday night.

"Everyone's going to play tough against us," Guillen said.

"Not just because we won last year, but because we're in first

place."Game notes
Cuddyer was a little woozy in the second when he was hit in

the head by a pickoff attempt by Garland at second base. Gardenhire

came out to check on Cuddyer, but he remained in the game. ...

Ozuna extended his hitting streak to a career-high eight games. ...

Chicago C A.J. Pierzynski hit 18 homers in 2005, but is homerless

in his last 53 games.