“It was rough first inning,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I thought it was going to be a little bit worse than that.”

Kubel and Hughes each hit a two-run shot off Peavy (6-7), who allowed four consecutive extra-base hits during his rocky beginning. Trevor Plouffe, Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer hit three straight doubles to plate the first two runs.

The White Sox fell six games back of the AL Central-leading Tigers, who rallied for a 5-4 victory over Kansas City. Chicago is off Thursday and opens an important three-game series at Detroit on Friday.

There was a stout wind blowing out to left field on a hot afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field and Peavy said Minnesota’s ability to get the ball up into the breeze was the key to its strong start.

“They were hitting the ball to left field and the ball was traveling to left field very well,” Peavy said. “Obviously I didn’t make a lot of good pitches.”

The damaging streak of extra-base hits started with Plouffe’s one-out double. Mauer drove in Plouffe to give him 500 career RBIs. Cuddyer then doubled in Mauer and scored when Kubel lofted a fly ball to left that got some help from the wind and barely cleared the outstretched glove of a leaping Juan Pierre.

“That ball to Kubel, he put his head down and going up the line, he was upset at himself,” Peavy said.

Kubel’s third homer in his last four games was his 14th in 39 career games at U.S. Cellular Field.

After Danny Valencia struck out, Rene Tosoni singled and Hughes hit a drive to left-center for his seventh homer.

Scott Diamond (1-2) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings to earn his first major league win. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Diamond may have learned from Peavy’s struggles.

“I think Diamond saw that in the first inning and decided he was going to throw the ball down,” Gardenhire said.

Joe Nathan yielded Paul Konerko’s two-run single in the ninth before finishing for his 12th save.

“That’s what Joe is known for is closing games,” Diamond said. “That’s what always makes the game exciting is ninth-inning drama, but like he always does, he closed the game down and got us a win.”

Peavy settled down after the rough start, giving the White Sox a chance to get back into the game. Lillibridge hit a two-run homer in the third and came all the way around from first to score on Konerko’s double in the sixth.

“We just battled,” Lillibridge said. “I’m sure Ozzie loved the way we played. We played hard and we kept forcing good at-bats and battling to the end.”

Peavy allowed six runs and eight hits over five innings, falling to 2-6 with a 5.77 ERA since a relief appearance on June 25. The 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner still isn’t 100 percent after having surgery on his right shoulder and said the bullpen outing might have been a mistake.

“If I could go back and take one thing away, I probably set myself back with the relief appearance I had,” Peavy said.

Jason Repko added a two-out drive in the seventh for the Twins, who went 7-21 in August for the club’s worst-ever record in the month.

Alex Rios hit an RBI single in the eighth but Chicago left the bases loaded when Tyler Flowers lined out to third to end the inning.

Chicago mounted another challenge in the ninth, but Nathan struck out Rios with a runner on first to end the game.

Guillen had Adam Dunn hit for Lillibridge with runners on second and third in the ninth and the much-maligned slugger struck out swinging before Konerko’s bloop hit.

“I didn’t want the matchup Nathan against Lilli,” Guillen said. “The only thing is go out and hit the ball out of the ballpark or walk. Obviously, he struck out but that’s the matchup I like the best. “

Tough loss, but now it’s on to Detroit for what may be a season-turning series for the White Sox, one way or another.

“I feel like we have to win the series to be really optimistic for the rest of the year,” Lillibridge said. “We’re ready. We’ve been playing good baseball.”

NOTES: Chicago OF Carlos Quentin said his sprained left shoulder has improved but he wasn’t willing to put a timetable on his possible return. He’s been on the disabled list since Aug. 21. . Twins 1B Justin Morneau (mild concussion symptoms) has to be cleared by the league before he can return. Morneau jammed his shoulder on Sunday and experienced headaches, prompting a concussion test. . After a day off, the Twins begin a three-game road series against the Angels on Friday with Carl Pavano going against Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver. . John Danks will start the series opener against Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who is 20-5. Verlander’s last loss came against Chicago on July 15.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CHICAGO —  

Jason Kubel and Luke Hughes homered during Minnesota’s six-run first inning, and the Twins beat the White Sox 7-6 on Wednesday to snap Chicago’s five-game winning streak.

Kubel and Hughes each hit a two-run shot off Jake Peavy (6-7), who allowed four consecutive extra-base hits during his rocky opening inning. Trevor Plouffe, Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer hit three straight doubles to plate the first two runs.

Scott Diamond (1-2) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings to earn his first major league win. Joe Nathan yielded Paul Konerko’s two-run single in the ninth before finishing for his 12th save.

Brent Lillibridge hit a two-run homer, walked and scored twice for the White Sox, who dropped to six games back of AL Central-leading Detroit. Juan Pierre singled, walked twice and scored two runs.

Peavy (6-7) allowed six runs and eight hits over five innings, falling to 2-6 with a 5.77 ERA since a relief appearance on June 25.

The costly streak of extra-base hits started after Jason Repko began the game with a harmless grounder to third. Mauer drove in Plouffe to give him 500 career RBIs. Cuddyer then doubled in Mauer and scored when Kubel lofted a fly ball to left that got some help from the wind and barely cleared the outstretched glove of a leaping Pierre.

Kubel’s third homer in his last four games was his 14th in 39 career games at U.S. Cellular Field.

After Danny Valencia struck out, Rene Tosoni singled and Hughes hit a drive to left-center for his seventh homer.

Repko added a two-out drive in the seventh for the Twins, who went 7-21 in August for the club’s worst-ever record in the month.

Peavy settled down after the rough start, giving the White Sox a chance to get back into the game. Lillibridge hit a two-run homer in the third and came all the way around from first to score on Konerko’s double in the sixth.

Alex Rios hit an RBI single in the eighth but Chicago left the bases loaded when Tyler Flowers lined out to third to end the inning.

The White Sox mounted another challenge in the ninth, but Nathan struck out Rios with a runner on first to end the game.

NOTES: Chicago OF Carlos Quentin said his sprained left shoulder has improved but he wasn’t willing to put a timetable on his possible return. He’s been on the disabled list since Aug. 21. . Twins 1B Justin Morneau (mild concussion symptoms) has to be cleared by the league before he can return. Morneau jammed his shoulder on Sunday and experienced headaches, prompting a concussion test. . After a day off, the Twins begin a three-game road series against the Angels on Friday with Carl Pavano going against Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver. . The White Sox begin a crucial three-game series at first-place Detroit on Friday. John Danks will start the opener against Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who is 20-5. Verlander’s last loss came against Chicago on July 15. … Much-maligned White Sox slugger Adam Dunn hit for Lillibridge with runners on second and third in the ninth and struck out swinging.

Jason Kubel and Luke Hughes homered during Minnesota’s six-run first inning, and the Twins beat the White Sox 7-6 on Wednesday to snap Chicago’s five-game winning streak. 

Kubel and Hughes each hit a two-run shot off Jake Peavy (6-7), who allowed four consecutive extra-base hits during his rocky opening inning. Trevor Plouffe, Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer hit three straight doubles to plate the first two runs. 

Scott Diamond (1-2) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings to earn his first major league win. Joe Nathan yielded Paul Konerko’s two-run single in the ninth before finishing for his 12th save. 

Brent Lillibridge hit a two-run homer, walked and scored twice for the White Sox, who dropped to six games back of AL Central-leading Detroit. Juan Pierre singled, walked twice and scored two runs. 

Peavy (6-7) allowed six runs and eight hits over five innings, falling to 2-6 with a 5.77 ERA since a relief appearance on June 25. 

The costly streak of extra-base hits started after Jason Repko began the game with a harmless grounder to third. Mauer drove in Plouffe to give him 500 career RBIs. Cuddyer then doubled in Mauer and scored when Kubel lofted a fly ball to left that got some help from the wind and barely cleared the outstretched glove of a leaping Pierre. 

Kubel’s third homer in his last four games was his 14th in 39 career games at U.S. Cellular Field. 

After Danny Valencia struck out, Rene Tosoni singled and Hughes hit a drive to left-center for his seventh homer. 

Repko added a two-out drive in the seventh for the Twins, who went 7-21 in August for the club’s worst-ever record in the month. 

Peavy settled down after the rough start, giving the White Sox a chance to get back into the game. Lillibridge hit a two-run homer in the third and came all the way around from first to score on Konerko’s double in the sixth. 

Alex Rios hit an RBI single in the eighth but Chicago left the bases loaded when Tyler Flowers lined out to third to end the inning. 

The White Sox mounted another challenge in the ninth, but Nathan struck out Rios with a runner on first to end the game. 

NOTES: Chicago OF Carlos Quentin said his sprained left shoulder has improved but he wasn’t willing to put a timetable on his possible return. He’s been on the disabled list since Aug. 21. . Twins 1B Justin Morneau (mild concussion symptoms) has to be cleared by the league before he can return. Morneau jammed his shoulder on Sunday and experienced headaches, prompting a concussion test. . After a day off, the Twins begin a three-game road series against the Angels on Friday with Carl Pavano going against Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver. . The White Sox begin a crucial three-game series at first-place Detroit on Friday. John Danks will start the opener against Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who is 20-5. Verlander’s last loss came against Chicago on July 15. … Much-maligned White Sox slugger Adam Dunn hit for Lillibridge with runners on second and third in the ninth and struck out swinging.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jered Weaver pitched seven innings of four-hit ball in his first start since signing an $85 million contract extension, and Erick Aybar drove in three runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ sixth straight victory, 8-0 over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.

Torii Hunter homered for the Angels, and Jeff Mathis had a two-run double during a three-run second inning in a dominant finale to their nine-game homestand. Los Angeles’ second straight series sweep and Texas’ 13-2 loss to Boston trimmed the Angels’ deficit in the AL West to just 21/2 games before they head into a weekend series at Rangers Ballpark on Friday.

Zach Stewart (1-3) allowed seven hits and seven runs while pitching into the seventh inning for Chicago, which missed a chance to move into second place in the AL Central for the second straight day.

Los Angeles scored four runs in the seventh to give a rare easy night to Weaver (15-6), who received one total run of support in his previous three starts combined. Weaver didn’t need that much help while ending a four-start winless streak in dominant fashion, striking out eight and allowing just one runner to reach third base.

A day earlier, Los Angeles announced Weaver had agreed to a five-year deal through 2016, passing up unrestricted free agency to stay in Orange County. Although the Angels scored just eight runs in Weaver’s last six starts, the AL All-Star game starter’s 15 victories already are one short of his career high in 2009.

The Angels have Thursday off before heading to Arlington, where they could conceivably take over the division lead with a three-game sweep. It’s an improbable development after the Rangers took three of four at Angel Stadium last week, only missing a sweep on Mark Trumbo’s two-run homer on the last pitch of the final game.

Texas has lost four of six since leaving Anaheim, while Los Angeles hasn’t lost.

Alejandro De Aza’s third-inning double was the only extra-base hit for the White Sox, who haven’t been above third place since April. They also missed a chance Tuesday to move above .500 for just the second time in four months.

Until the game got away in the seventh inning, Stewart had made a solid return to the White Sox’s rotation after a stint in the bullpen. He made two starts immediately after arriving in a trade with Toronto on July 27, returning to the rotation after an injury to Philip Humber.

After Aybar drove home Trumbo for the Angels’ first run in the second inning, Mathis pounded a double into the left-center gap, scoring Vernon Wells and Aybar. Mathis entered the game batting .176, but his rapport with Weaver makes him valuable to the Angels.

Hunter hit a two-out shot well beyond the left-field wall in the third inning, his 18th homer of the season. The steady slugger is closing in on his sixth straight 20-homer season.

Aybar laced a two-run double down the first-base line in the seventh, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by Alberto Callaspo and Bobby Abreu against reliever Josh Kinney.

NOTES: More bad news for Texas: Angels manager Mike Scioscia is contemplating using Ervin Santana and Weaver on short rest after 13-game winner Dan Haren starts the opener at Rangers Ballpark. Los Angeles started rookies Garrett Richards and Tyler Chatwood in the first two games on last week’s series with the Rangers, who beat both soundly. … Jake Peavy will start for the White Sox on Friday when they open a series in Seattle against Charlie Furbush and the Mariners. … Abreu’s 547th career double tied him with Manny Ramirez for 25th on baseball’s career list.

Jered Weaver pitched seven innings of four-hit ball in his first start since signing an $85 million contract extension, and Erick Aybar drove in three runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ sixth straight victory, 8-0 over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. 

Torii Hunter homered for the Angels, and Jeff Mathis had a two-run double during a three-run second inning in a dominant finale to their nine-game homestand. Los Angeles’ second straight series sweep and Texas’ 13-2 loss to Boston trimmed the Angels’ deficit in the AL West to just 2½ games before they head into a weekend series at Rangers Ballpark on Friday.  

Zach Stewart (1-3) allowed seven hits and seven runs while pitching into the seventh inning for Chicago, which missed a chance to move into second place in the AL Central for the second straight day.  
 

For the second straight day, the Chicago White Sox were tantalizingly close to claiming second place in the AL Central.

And for the second straight day, it was yanked away by a team that’s getting serious about its own playoff chase.

Jered Weaver pitched seven innings of four-hit ball in his first start since signing an $85 million contract extension, and Erick Aybar drove in three runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ sixth straight victory, 8-0 over the White Sox on Wednesday night.

Zach Stewart (1-3) allowed seven hits and seven runs while pitching into the seventh inning for Chicago, which wasn’t able to capitalize on two straight losses by Cleveland. Division-leading Detroit and the Indians both lost earlier Wednesday, but the White Sox remained 6½ games behind the Tigers in third place, which they’ve occupied for most of the last four months.

“They can win or lose all they want, but if we don’t win, it doesn’t really matter,” White Sox outfielder Juan Pierre said. “I know some guys scoreboard-watch, but if we don’t take care of our business, we’ll be making fishing plans here soon. We’ve just got to keep battling and hope we turn things around.”

Alejandro De Aza’s third-inning double was the only extra-base hit for the White Sox, who haven’t been above third place since April. They also missed a chance Tuesday to move above .500 for just the second time in four months.

“We were facing a pretty good guy on the mound,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “It was just one of those games you throw away and come back the next day. We didn’t pitch good, (and) we didn’t put together anything at all (offensively).”

Until the game got away in the seventh inning, Stewart had made a solid return to the White Sox’s rotation after a stint in the bullpen. He made two starts immediately after arriving in a trade with Toronto on July 27, returning to the rotation after an injury to Philip Humber.

“There were so many big pitches where I just left the ball up and missed my spot,” Stewart said. “I put it in a place where (Mathis) could do something with it, and he did.”

Torii Hunter homered for the Angels, and Jeff Mathis had a two-run double during a three-run second inning in a dominant finale to their nine-game homestand. Los Angeles’ second straight series sweep and Texas’ 13-2 loss to Boston trimmed the Angels’ deficit in the AL West to just 2½ games before they head into a weekend series at Rangers Ballpark on Friday.

“I love the way we’re playing ball right now,” Hunter said. “We’ve got some guys with some heart. We’re going in to play the first-place team, and we’re 2½ games back. We’re riding that wave.”

Los Angeles scored four runs in the seventh, prompting manager Mike Scioscia to call an early night for Weaver (15-6), who received one total run of support in his previous three starts combined. Weaver didn’t need that much help while emphatically ending a four-start winless streak, striking out eight and allowing just one runner to reach third base.

“He throws his cutter and his changeup for strikes, and people sometimes start chasing bad pitches because they’re worried about getting deep into counts,” Guillen said. “That’s the reason we got shut out today. I don’t think he’s the best in the game, but he’s right there.”

A day earlier, Los Angeles announced Weaver had agreed to a five-year deal through 2016, passing up unrestricted free agency to stay in Orange County. Although the Angels scored just eight runs in Weaver’s last six starts, the AL All-Star game starter’s 15 victories already are one short of his career high in 2009.

After Aybar drove home Mark Trumbo for the Angels’ first run in the second inning, Mathis pounded a double into the left-center gap, scoring Vernon Wells and Aybar. Mathis entered the game batting .176, but his rapport with Weaver makes him valuable to the Angels.

Hunter hit a two-out shot well beyond the left-field wall in the third inning, his 18th homer of the season. The steady slugger is closing in on his sixth straight 20-homer season.

Aybar laced a two-run double down the first-base line in the seventh, followed by back-to-back RBI doubles by Alberto Callaspo and Bobby Abreu against reliever Josh Kinney.

NOTES: More bad news for Texas: Scioscia is contemplating using Ervin Santana and Weaver on short rest after 13-game winner Dan Haren starts the opener at Rangers Ballpark. Los Angeles started rookies Garrett Richards and Tyler Chatwood in the first two games of last week’s series with the Rangers, who beat both soundly. … Jake Peavy will start for the White Sox on Friday when they open a series in Seattle against Charlie Furbush and the Mariners. … Abreu’s 547th career double tied him with Manny Ramirez for 25th on baseball’s career list.