Left-hander Derek Holland, who had looked lost on the mound for most of July and August and had the horrible numbers to prove it, was a changed man Thursday.
Holland (7-13) allowed one run, three hits and four walks in six innings in the White Sox’ 5-1 victory against the Twins and felt rejuvenated after going 1-7 with a 9.55 ERA in his previous 11 starts.
‘‘It can be a lonely place when you struggle like that,’’ Holland said. ‘‘The main thing is staying positive. I came in here with the same attitude and continued to fight through it.’’
The only run he yielded came on a home run to left field by Byron Buxton leading off the sixth. Holland, who threw 101 pitches, got through six innings for the first time since Aug. 2 and for only the second time since June 25.
‘‘It’s just one game,’’ Holland said. ‘‘We have to continue to keep plugging away and working hard.’’
Yolmer Sanchez homered against losing pitcher Jose Berrios (nine strikeouts) in the second to open the scoring, and the Sox added three runs in the fourth — two of them unearned, courtesy of errors by Berrios and first baseman Mitch Garver — and one in the sixth on an RBI double by Kevan Smith.
Juan Minaya pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation. The Sox’ bullpen has thrown nine scoreless innings in the last three games.
Moncada, Leury exit early
Second baseman Yoan Moncada left after five innings after aggravating shin splints in his right leg. He will have an MRI exam Friday.
Moncada walked in the fourth and stole second for his first career stolen base, then scored when a ground ball by Nicky Delmonico deflected off Garver’s glove. Moncada was hurt when he stumbled around third. He missed two games last weekend in Texas and played in only one game of the doubleheader Monday against the Twins.
‘‘This time, more than soreness, I felt pain,’’ Moncada said.
Outfielder Leury Garcia hurt his back on a swing in the third and left with back stiffness on his right side. The Sox said he is day-to-day.
Avisail Jr. is born
The Sox were already short-handed because All-Star right fielder Avisail Garcia was with his wife, who gave birth to their second child, a son named Avisail Jr., earlier in the day. He might be back Friday, when the Sox open a three-game home series against the Tigers.
Manager Rick Renteria said he ‘‘has some pitchers who are pretty good athletes’’ in case he gets in a jam with a short bench.
Prospect watch
Third baseman Jake Burger, the Sox’ first-round draft pick in June, went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle for Kannapolis against Greensboro in the Class A South Atlantic League. Burger, who is batting .293, drove in three runs.
† Cuban outfielder Luis Robert, who has been sidelined by two injuries this summer in the Dominican Republic, doubled and tripled in his second game since coming back from an ankle injury. He signed with the Sox for a $26 million bonus in May.
Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.
Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com
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