CHICAGO (AP) - Trayce Thompson is trying to make the most of his second chance with the Chicago White Sox.
Thompson homered with two out in the ninth, and Chicago stopped a four-game slide by topping the Minnesota Twins 6-5 on Thursday night.
The 27-year-old Thompson connected against former White Sox reliever Addison Reed (0-2), driving a 3-1 pitch 403 feet to left. It was his third homer in 43 at-bats this season and third game-ending shot of his career.
Thompson was drafted by Chicago and broke into the majors with the White Sox in 2015. He was reacquired last month in a trade with Oakland after he was designated for assignment by the Athletics.
“I’ve been tinkering with some stuff, just not overthinking and having an obtainable goal,” Thompson said.
“I was just looking for a fastball to hit and trying not to do too much with it. Luckily, I got a pitch that I could handle and didn’t miss it.”
Chicago trailed 5-1 in the fourth inning. Nate Jones (2-0) got the win, retiring his only batter.
Logan Morrison, who attracted little interest on the free-agent market over the winter despite hitting a career-high 38 homers for Tampa Bay last season, went deep in his first three-hit game for the Twins.
Morrison belted a two-run shot in Minnesota’s three-run fourth. He also doubled and singled in his second multihit game of the season.
Chicago rallied behind rookie Daniel Palka, who hit a two-run drive off Jake Odorizzi in the bottom half. It was his second homer in five career starts.
“The game kind of boiled down to one pitch,” Odorizzi said. “It was 5-1. At that point anything less than a home run keeps the momentum with us. Our offense did the job, our bullpen did the job. I’m the one who didn’t do the job today.”
Yolmer Sanchez singled in Omar Narvaez in the fifth, and the White Sox tied it in the sixth. Jose Abreu scored from first when Twins right fielder Robbie Grossman mishandled Matt Davidson’s double.
Chicago had a chance to go in front in the seventh, but Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario robbed Adam Engel of a possible homer with a leaping catch near the wall.
Both starting pitchers were hurt by shaky defense.
Odorizzi allowed five runs - three earned - and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
Reynaldo Lopez pitched 6 2/3 innings for Chicago, yielding four earned runs and six hits. Passed balls by Narvaez on consecutive pitches in the third contributed to a two-run frame for the Twins.
TRAINERS ROOM
Twins: CF Byron Buxton (fractured toe) accompanied the team on the 10-game road trip and may attempt to run Wednesday for the first time since fouling a ball off his foot in a minor league game on April 22. “I think he’s going to get out there and see what he can do,” manager Paul Molitor said. Buxton was originally placed on the DL with migraine headaches in mid-April. Molitor said the team has not decided whether to send Buxton on another rehab assignment or activate him as soon as he’s ready.
White Sox: INF Yoan Moncada (tight left hamstring, sore right foot) was held out of the lineup after leaving Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to St. Louis. Manager Rick Renteria said Moncada would be available to pinch-hit prior to the game. … C Wellington Castillo (lower abdominal pain) was scratched and replaced by Narvaez. Renteria said Castillo is day to day.
UP NEXT
Twins right-hander Jose Berrios (2-3, 3.63 ERA) is set to match up with White Sox righty Carson Fulmer (2-1, 4.32 ERA) in the second of a four-game series on Friday night. Berrios struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings in a victory over the White Sox on April 12. Fulmer allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings against Kansas City last time out.
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