CHICAGO -- Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor was tempted to leave in

his starting pitcher.

Trevor May threw just 80 pitches in seven innings Saturday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox, but Molitor wanted May to end on a positive note. And the bullpen was fresh.

May (3-3) struck out nine and allowed three runs in a career-high seven innings as the Twins beat the White Sox 4-3.

May threw 59 pitches for strikes and said he could have thrown more. But he knows the Twins can turn to their bullpen.

Aaron Thompson and Blaine Boyer combined for a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins struck out Tyler Flowers looking to end the game after allowing a single and a walk with two outs for his major league-leading 16th save.

"I had more," May said. "Getting into that flow, your starter gets seven (innings), and we've had a really good eighth inning with Thompson and Boyer getting that done, and Perkins is 16 for 16 for saves. Those are weapons you got to use."

The Twins jumped on Chicago starter Chris Sale early and May contained the White Sox the rest of the way.

"It was a much-needed performance to bounce back and get a win against

Chris," Molitor said.

Sale (3-2) gave up four runs (three earned) while striking out 10 in eight innings for his 20th career double-digit strikeout game.

The Twins have won three of four and the White Sox have lost four of five. Minnesota improved to 6-3 against Chicago this season.

Right fielder Torii Hunter hit his seventh home run of the season to open the second inning for a 1-0 Twins lead. Three batters later, designated hitter Eduardo Nunez followed with his first homer of the season. The inning marked the first time since Sept. 17, 2014, that Sale has allowed two home runs in a game.

"We lost the game right there in the second inning giving up two homers," Sale said. "Just have to be down with it, anytime, no matter how hard it is. If it's up, they're going to take advantage."

Shortstop Alexei Ramirez's RBI single after designated hitter Adam LaRoche doubled cut the Twins' lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second.

The Twins added two runs for a 4-1 lead in the third on a groundout by left fielder Shane Robinson and a single by first baseman Trevor Plouffe after White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie's throwing error and Twins second baseman Brian Dozier's double.

"After they touched him up, he just had a little bit extra, a little

bit better changeup," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Sale.

The White Sox chipped away with two runs in the bottom of the third. Second baseman Carlos Sanchez was hit by a pitch and center fielder Adam Eaton followed with an RBI triple and scored on a groundout.

The teams went scoreless the rest of the way as the hitters contended with late-afternoon shadows.

"I felt pretty comfortable with my changeup," May said. "I was aggressive with it, wasn't afraid to throw it three, four or five times in a row. With the shadows, it definitely helps. That's the pitch I wanted to get going for a while, and I think I used the curveball effectively and the slider also."

Twins center fielder Aaron Hicks prevented an extra-base hit by Eaton by laying out and grabbing a line drive at the warning track in the eighth.

"That's a momentum killer and a builder for us," May said.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as his 17-game hitting streak was snapped. It was the longest active streak and second longest this season in the majors.

NOTES: Former White Sox 1B Paul Konerko thanked his former managers, hitting coaches, teammates and the fans during a pregame ceremony to retire his uniform number. He also threw out the first pitch. The number "14" was marked on the infield behind second base, and videos showed highlights from Konerko's career and those of the nine other White Sox players who had their numbers retired. "He made everybody around play better," former team manager Ozzie Guillen said. ... White Sox OF Avisail Garcia was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game because of right knee inflammation. J.B. Shuck started in right field in his place. ... The game was scheduled to begin at 3:10 p.m. CT but started at 3:40 after the ceremony. ... Attendance was 38,714 for the largest White Sox crowd and second sellout this season. ... Twins manager Paul Molitor didn't start 1B Joe Mauer, but Mauer entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and drew an intentional walk. ... RHP Hector Noesi will return to the White Sox rotation and start Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays as the White Sox push back rookie Carlos Rodon's next start to limit his innings.