Shuck has go-ahead hit in 8th, gives White Sox 1st win

CHICAGO (AP) Pinch-hitter J.B. Shuck's tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning on Saturday helped the Chicago White Sox to their first win of the season.

Now he hopes the 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins is the start of something big.

''It's a great feeling,'' said Shuck, who drove in Alexei Ramirez. ''It's a good team-building win right here. I think we're going to roll off this one.''

Shuck lined a 1-1 pitch from reliever Blaine Boyer (0-1) with two outs, scoring Ramirez. Conor Gillaspie was thrown out at the plate as he tried to score from second.

Former Yankees closer David Robertson struck out the side in the ninth for his first save with Chicago. The White Sox lost their first four games.

Left-hander Zach Duke (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the win.

In his first home start for the White Sox, Jeff Samardzija gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche snapped a 1-for-14 slump with his first home run of the season, leading off the second against Mike Pelfrey.

The Twins sent eight men to the plate in the second as Samardzija gave up four runs and five hits, including two for extra bases. Chris Herrmann tripled in a run while second baseman Brian Dozier doubled home another in a 35-pitch inning for Samardzija.

''I was in the middle of the plate too much there in the second,'' Samardzija said. ''I'm trying to be aggressive and get quick outs. . But I love the way I came back and made a couple adjustments and got on the edges and got down.''

The White Sox loaded the bases with none out in the third but managed just one run on Avisail Garcia's infield single. But Ramirez grounded into a double play and Gillaspie grounded out to end the inning.

Geovany Soto tied it 4-all with a leadoff home run to left in the fourth, his first of the year.

Pelfrey, making his first start since May 1, 2014, departed after five innings. He yielded four runs and seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.

''I was happy to see him try and compete,'' said Twins manager Paul Molitor. ''He got the last six outs in a row, I think after the tying home run. So we were able to get five innings out of him. (But) It was a game where he had to battle every inning, every pitch.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco went on the 15-day disabled list (right elbow inflammation) and RHP Trevor May was called up from Triple-A Rochester and will start Monday's home opener against Kansas City. ... Twins RHP Casey Fien felt better after experiencing right shoulder stiffness Friday. ''Obviously you're not going to put a guy out there and put him in jeopardy if you don't have to,'' Molitor said.

White Sox: Manager Robin Ventura is not concerned that Sale has faced only minor leaguers while recovering from a broken right foot. ''He's the guy I want going out there tomorrow, I don't care if he's faced a hitter or not,'' Ventura said. ... Chicago reinstated LHP Eric Surkamp from the 15-day disabled list (upper back strain) and assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte.

UP NEXT

White Sox LHP Chris Sale returns from the disabled list (right foot fracture) for his season debut Sunday. Sale went was 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA last year and is 6-1 with 2.45 ERA all-time against the Twins. Minnesota RHP Phil Hughes (0-1, 6.00 ERA) makes his 12th career start and 16th appearance against Chicago.

ABREU ON BASE

White Sox slugger Jose Abreu is batting just .176 with just one home run in five games but he's still finding a way to get on base. Abreu has reached in all five games this season and has a .300 on-base percentage. He was 0 for 3 on Saturday but reached in the third inning when Pelfrey hit him with a pitch.

KEEPING TORII FRESH

Torii Hunter sat out Saturday as the Twins try to keep the 39-year-old outfielder sharp. ''Hopefully we can keep him fresh by giving him a (rest) here or there,'' Molitor said. Hunter was 1 for 5 with a stolen base in Friday's 6-0 win over the White Sox.