Twins-White Sox: Welcome Home, Joe Crede!

No Scott Baker? No Problem.

Three pitchers new to the Twins: R.A. Dickey, Brian Duensing, and Philip Humber combined to cover for the absence of the Twins ace, but the real damage was done by the offense.

Joe Crede launched a home run into the left field bullpen to open the second inning, a sight all too familiar to Twins fans over the years, but this time he was greeted by the visitors after crossing the plate.

The cheers that rained down on him before his at-bat were gone, but the Twins' hit parade was just beginning.

The Twins, after getting shut out by Jarrod Washburn on Thursday, battered Jose Contreras for four runs on seven hits, on their way to a 12-5 victory over their South Side rivals.

The Sox got as many hits tonight as they got in games two and three against the Royals combined, including home runs from Carlos Quentin and Paul Konerko.

The five runs they scored were the most they have scored in a single game so far this season, which ought to have given them a good chance to win.

The Twins, however, were simply relentless.

They scored in six of the nine innings, including their seven-run barrage in the seventh. Justin Morneau went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI to lead the Twins' run producers, who had been sorely missed for much of the Twins' previous series.

It was not extra base hits that did the damage, however, it was the piranhas that Ozzie Guillen hates so much.

The seventh inning began with a home run, but the floodgates opened when Sox pitchers threw 12 straight balls to walk the bases full. Four singles and a sacrifice fly later, the Twins had blown a close game wide open.

The top three in the Twins order went a combined 8-for-16 with a walk, three runs scored, and six driven in.

If they continue to get anywhere near that type of production from Denard Span, Alexi Casilla, and Justin Morneau, the days until Joe Mauer returns will pass much more quickly.

Saturday's starter will be Francisco Liriano, who is looking for his first win of the season.