White Sox 5, Twins 3: Francisco Liriano didn't allow a hit until Trevor Plouffe's two-run homer with two outs in the seventh and Paul Konerko homered and drove in three runs as visiting Chicago preserved its slim American League Central lead.

Adam Dunn (strained right oblique) returned to the lineup after missing seven games and went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the White Sox, who remained one game ahead of Detroit. The Tigers posted a 5-3 triumph over Cleveland later on Saturday.

Liriano (6-11) was dominant against his former team, striking out nine over seven innings. His lone blemish was Plouffe's two-run blast that just cleared the fence in left-center, which came after the left-hander hit Justin Morneau with a pitch.

Jesse Crain struck out two in a perfect eighth inning before the Twins threatened in the ninth. Addison Reed issued two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs, but Matt Thornton got a double play and a ground out to limit the damage to one run and pick up his third save. The Twins have six hits and three runs through the first two games of the series.

Konerko opened the scoring with a run-scoring groundout in the first inning and added his 23rd homer, a two-run blast into the White Sox bullpen in left-center, in the third. Gordon Beckham and Alexei Ramirez added RBI singles for Chicago.

Twins starter Samuel Deduno (6-4) allowed four runs on three hits over four innings. He walked five and struck out six.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Twins C Joe Mauer missed his fifth straight game with back spasms. … The White Sox have won 13 of 17 meetings this season. … Deduno has walked at least three batters in 11 of his 13 starts. … Beckham is 8-for-20 (.400) during a six-game hitting streak.