Tonight is game two of the three-game series between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on the southside of Chicago. The Twins beat the White Sox last night 4-2 in the series opener behind starter Kyle Lohse. Brad Radke (7-10, 3.71 ERA) takes the mound tonight for the Twins. He's 14-13 in 30 starts in his career against Chicago with a 4.55 ERA. He had a no-decision in his last start - Minnesota's 14-inning, 7-3 victory over Seattle on August 10. Radke last picked up a win in Minnesota's 12-0 shutout victory over Boston at the Metrodome on August 5. Starting for Chicago tonight is Freddy Garcia (11-5, 3.64 ERA). Garcia is 5-3 in 11 career starts against Minnesota with a 4.48 ERA.

Perhaps looking for a bit of consistency and trying to find some momentum with last night's victory, manager Ron Gardenhire made no changes in the starting lineup from last night's team.

It's time for the first pitch.

UPDATE: Leadoff batter Shannon Stewart ended an 0-for-17 slump with a double to open the game.

UPDATE: Nick Punto moved Stewie over to third with a sac bunt, and Joe Mauer followed with a double down the right field line to score Stewie. Garcia then struck out Morneau and LeCroy to get out of the inning, but at the end of a half-inning, Minnesota leads 1-0.

UPDATE: Brad Radke had much-publicized struggles in the first inning of games earlier in the season, but once again, Radke escaped the first without so much as a baserunner. Perez and Iguchi grounded out before Radke struck out Carl Everett to end the first. At the end of one, Twins lead 1-0.

UPDATE: To update the info on Radke's improvement in first innings, the last team to score against Brad in the first inning was Kansas City on June 29. The Royals scored 2 runs in the first inning of that game, and went on to win 3-1.

UPDATE: Lew led off the second with a single that rolled slowly down the third base line, but never went foul. Michael Ryan apparently missed a hit-and-run sign, because Lew was hung out to dry in what appeared to be the worst attempted-steal ever, and was tagged out trying to return to first. Middle of the second, still 1-0.

UPDATE: Groundout, flyout, strikeout. 1-0 Minnesota at the end of two.

UPDATE: Welcome to the Majors, Brian Anderson, meet Brad Radke's changeup. Radke has ended all three innings with a strikeout. Through three, Minnesota leads 1-0.

UPDATE: Minnesota got back-to-back one-out infield singles by Morneau and LeCroy in the fourth, and both advanced a base on a wild pitch by Garcia, but groundouts by Ford and Ryan wasted the scoring opportunity. Middle of the fourth, still 1-0.

UPDATE: Sox finally got to Radke in the fourth. Timo Perez led off with a double to deep left-center and scored on a bloop single to right by Iguchi. Everett flied out to left, but Konerko singled on a grounder to left. Pierzynski moved Iguchi to third with a fly out to center, but Aaron Rowand lined out to Radke to end the inning. At the end of four, the game is now tied 1-1.

UPDATE: Soft grounders and bloop fly balls. The Twins deceivingly have 7 hits in the game, but they haven't done much with them after the two doubles in the first. A pair of singles to lead off the fifth by Cuddyer and Abernathy were wasted when Stewie hit into a double-play. Punto grounded out to the pitcher, and that was it for the Twins in the fifth. Still 1-1 headed to the bottom of the fifth.

UPDATE: Radke worked his way out of a leadoff single by Uribe with a popout, a groundout, and a flyout. In addition to his 3 strikeouts, Radke has 2 putouts and an assist tonight. Through five, it's still 1-1.

UPDATE: The M&M Boys ride again! Mauer walked to lead off the sixth and Morneau sent a 92 mph 1-0 pitch to deep, deep right. 3-1 Minnesota with no outs in the sixth.

UPDATE: Following Morneau's homerun, LeCroy singled to left, but back-to-back forceouts by Lew and Ryan and a strikeout of Cuddyer ended the inning. Cuddyer was about 1/4-inch from a double down the left field line before striking out. Headed to the bottom of the sixth, it's Twins 3, White Sox 1.

UPDATE: Carl Everett sent a one-out, first-pitch changeup about 430 feet to right-center to pull one back for Chicago. 3-2 Minnesota headed to the seventh. Everett's homerun was the 26th given up this year by Radke, which puts him back in a tie with Cleveland's Scott Elarton for most in the American League.

UPDATE: Walks kill. With one out, Radke gave up his first walk of the night in the bottom of the seventh. After Crede flied out, Brian Anderson picked up his first Major League hit when he stuck the bat out and flipped the ball to left, moving Uribe to second. Gardy, as he often does, left Radke in one batter too long, and the Sox made him pay. Timo Perez stepped up and sent a 1-0 to deep left-center for a two-run double. Radke's night is done, but a little too late. Juan Rincon takes over and gets Iguchi to groundout to short. Nevertheless, the damage is done. Sox lead 4-3 headed to the eighth. Radke's final numbers on the night: 6-2/3 IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 1BB, 4K on 98 pitches.

UPDATE: Wild tenth inning in Detroit tonight. Tigers and Red Sox were tied 3-3 at the end of nine. Boston scored 7 runs in the top of the tenth, and Detroit answered with a grandslam in the bottom of the tenth, but could muster no more. Boston won 10-7.

UPDATE: Twins are down to their last 3 outs. Mauer struck out and Morneau lined out against Marte. Sox brought on Politte, who walked LeCroy, but got Lew to line out. Headed to the bottom of the eighth, Sox lead 4-3.

UPDATE: Matt Guerrier took over for Rincon to pitch the eighth. He gave up a two-out single to left to Pierzynski, but that was the extent of the damage. Guerrier has now pitched 17-1/3 innings without giving up a run. The last time he gave up a run was on July 9, when he conceded 2 runs to the Royals in the eighth inning.

Dustin Hermanson is on to try to pick up another save for Chicago. He'll face Ryan, Cuddyer, and Abernathy in the ninth.

UPDATE: HUZZAH! We have ourselves a new ballgame in Chicago! Cuddyer fouled off several pitches from Hermanson before sending a 2-2 pitch deep into the seats in left. 4-4 tie in Chicago in the ninth.

UPDATE: Abernathy and Stewie both flied out, but Cuddy-bear got the Twins back into the game with his ninth homerun of the year. We're tied at 4-4 going to the bottom of the ninth. Uribe, Crede, and Anderson will face Guerrier in his second inning of work.

UPDATE: Groundout, flyout, flyout. We're headed to extra innings in Chicago, tied 4-4.

UPDATE: More wasted opportunities by the Twins. Punto got a leadoff single and stole second, but Mauer struckout, Punto got picked off leading too far off second, and Morneau struckout. Headed to the bottom of the tenth, we're still tied at 4. Dye, Iguchi, and Everett will face Guerrier on to start his third inning of work tonight.

UPDATE: Strikeout, flyout, groundout and Guerrier has pitched three scoreless innings tonight to run his streak to 19-1/3 scoreless innings. Bartlett (pinch-ran for LeCroy in the eighth), Lew, and Ryan due up for Minnesota in the top eleventh to face new reliever Vizcaino.

UPDATE: I've said it before and I'll say it again - LEW FORD SHOULD NOT BE BUNTING. Jason Bartlett got a leadoff single, but Lew popped out on an attempted bunt, Michael Ryan popped out to short, and Cuddyer struckout to end the top of the eleventh. Headed to the bottom of the eleventh, Blum, Pierzynski, and Rowand will face Guerrier out for his fourth inning.

UPDATE: As if it hitting the game-tying homerun weren't enough for Cuddyer, he saved the game again in the eleventh. Blum got a leadoff single and was bunted over by Pierzynski. Rowand was walked to set up the double-play and Uribe popped out to second. With two out and men on first and second, Joe Crede hit a sharp grounder down the third-base line, but Cuddyer - guarding the line - snagged it and threw out Crede at first. Guerrier finished his fourth scoreless inning and we're headed to the twelfth in Chicago.

UPDATE: Nick Punto picked up a two-out walk, but Joe Mauer grounded out to second to end the half-inning. So, we're headed to the bottom of the twelfth still tied at 4. Looks like Guerrier's night is finally done after pitching four scoreless innings. Jesse Crain is coming on with Anderson, Dye, and Iguchi due up for Chicago.

UPDATE: Crain walked Iguchi with two outs, but Everett grounded out to Morneau at first, so we're headed to the thirteenth.

I think it's about time to look around the AL tonight. Boston beat Detroit 10-7, Cleveland over Texas 8-2, Tampa Bay was victorious over New York 4-3, Baltimore and Oakland are tied at 1 in the sixth, Kansas City and Seattle are tied at 3 in the sixth, and Los Angeles leads Toronto 3-2 in the seventh.

UPDATE: Bobby Jenks came out throwing gas against Minnesota in the thirteenth with good results. He struckout Morneau, got Bartlett to groundout to short, and then struckout Lew.

Lew had 15 homeruns last year, but only has 4 this year. He hasn't homered since June 16 against San Francisco. He's about due, don't you think?

Blum, Pierzynski, and Rowand due up to face Crain in the bottom of the thirteenth.

UPDATE: Twins escaped again in almost identical fashion to the eleventh inning. Pierzynski hit a one-out double to left-center and Rowand was intentionally walked. Uribe flied out to center and Crede lined out to first to end the inning. Headed to the fourteenth for the second time in a week.

UPDATE: Chicago's turn to escape. Abernathy got a two-out single and stole second. Stewie hit a soft grounder fielded by the pitcher, but he had no play on Stewie, and Abernathy moved up to third. Punto then flied out to right-center to end the top of the fourteenth. Headed to the bottom of the fourteenth, Anderson, Dye, and Iguchi are due up against new reliever J.C. Romero.

UPDATE: Brian Anderson got a leadoff single, but Romero struckout Dye and got Iguchi to hit into a 6-4-3 double-play to end the inning. Headed to the fifteenth and Mauer, Morneau, and Bartlett are due up again for Minnesota.

UPDATE: Twins failed to capitalize once again. Mauer got a leadoff double to left-center that skidded under Rowand to the wall. Morneau moved him over to third on a deep flyout down the left field line. But, with Mauer on third and one out, Tiffee pinch-hit for Bartlett and popped out to third, and then Lew flied out to center. Headed to the bottom of the fifteenth.

UPDATE: Everett popped out, Blum singled to short, Pierzynski struckout on a check-swing foul tip, and Rowand flied out to center. Yes, folks, we're headed to the sixteenth inning. Ryan, Cuddyer, and Abernathy are due up for Minnesota against Jon Adkins. Adkins was the last man in Chicago's bullpen.

UPDATE: FINALLY!! Michael Ryan singled to lead off the inning. Michael Cuddyer bunted into a force at second. Abernathy walked to put men on first and second. And then - finally - Stewie came through with a single down the third base line, scoring Cuddyer and moving Abernathy to second. Punto fouled off many pitches, and after the ninth one, Stewie pulled up gimpy and was pulled for pinch-runner Jacque Jones. Punto then popped out on the tenth pitch of the at-bat. Mauer followed with a double to right that scored Abernathy and moved Jones to third. It was Mauer's third double of the night. Chicago then intentionally walked Morneau to get to Tiffee, who hit a single to right, scoring Jones and Mauer, and moving Morneau to third. Next it was Lew's turn. Lew singled to right, scoring Morneau and moving Tiffee to second. Michael Ryan - the tenth batter of the inning - popped out to short to end the top of the sixteenth. Minnesota now leads 9-4, and although it's no longer a save situation, Joe Nathan is on his way in to finish it off. With Chicago having used their entire pen and Minnesota having used everyone but Terry Mulholland (whoe is ailing with a sore back), both teams will be hoping starters Santana and Buehrle pitch deep into the game tomorrow night (or should I say tonight?).

UPDATE: Time for those West Coast finals. Baltimore beat Oakland 4-3, Toronto beat Los Angeles 4-3, and Seattle beat Kansas City 4-3. The Royals have now lost 17 games in a row.

UPDATE: Joe Nathan came one, struck out the side, and... THE BALLGAME IS OVER! Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 9-4. J.C. Romero pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win and improve to 3-3, while Jon Adkins got hammered for 5 runs in the sixteenth and takes the loss, dropping to 0-1.

The win tonight means Minnesota will win their second consecutive road series. The last time that happened goes all the way back to the first two road series of the year. Minnesota took 2 of 3 in Seattle April 4-6, and then took 2 of 3 in Cleveland April 15-17.

With the win and another Oakland loss, Minnesota pulls to only 5 games back in the Wild Card standings. Toronto won to also pull to 5 back. The Indians won to pull up to 3 games back, while the Yankees lost to stay at 1.5 games back.

Whew. So, Johan Santana (11-6, 3.48 ERA) will take the mound Wednesday night for Minnesota against Mark Buehrle (13-5, 2.99 ERA) of the White Sox in a battle between two of the best lefties in the American League. Gametime once again is 8:05pm ET/7:05pm CT.

As I am going on vacation, I will not be liveblogging any games for the next week. See you all next week!