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The Twins won on Tuesday for many reasons, but the biggest contrast between them and the White Sox, last night and all season, was the cleanliness of play.

The White Sox were butchers, commiting two key errors, while the Twins played another clean game, with no errors and no drastic mistakes in any other area of the game. The Twins won, 8-6, for their ninth victory in 11 games.

Miguel Sano went 3-for-5 in typical fashion. He hit a single to right, a single to left, a home run into the second deck in left, and struck out twice. He might be the half-season MVP in the American League.

Other than starter Tyler Duffey's implosion in the fifth inning, there was a nagging sequence. Closer Glen Perkins not only gave up three hits and a run in the ninth, he failed to cover first on a ground ball to Joe Mauer. He seemed to break late off the mound and had no chance to get to first base in time.

That would be a horrible thing, to lose a game in a playoff race because a veteran pitcher didn't cover first base in time.

-Twins manager Paul Molitor said he was concerned with Sano's sore hamstring. Sano couldn't score from second on a hit to the outfield, and slow-jogged his home run trot to protect his leg.

-Byron Buxton's speed showed up on the bases twice. He scored standing up on a short sacrifice fly to center. After White Sox third baseman Tyler Saladino let Buxton's grounder through his legs and into short left, Buxton got to second so fast he didn't draw a throw.

-The Twins are 41-25 at home, and 27-38 on the road. They have a chance to make this a dominant home stand in the next two days. They beat White Sox ace Chris Sale again, and get to face Carlos Rodon (4.15 ERA) and Jeff Samardzija (4.85 ERA) the next two days. The White Sox are 28-37 on the road.

-Sano has reached base in 16 straight games and has homered in seven of his last 13. He's hitting .337 at Target Field with eight homers.

-Brian Dozier hit his 34th double of the season, a career best.

-Eduardo Escobar has reached base safely in seven straight games.

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