Gavin Floyd delivers a pitch in Tuesday's one-hit, 7-1 triumph over the Twins. Gavin Floyd delivers a pitch in Tuesday's one-hit, 7-1 triumph over the Twins. (Spencer Green/Associated Press)

Gavin Floyd nearly hurled the first no-hitter of the season as the host Chicago White Sox pounded the Minnesota Twins 7-1 at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday night.

Floyd held the Twins hitless through 8 1/3 innings, striking out Brendan Harris in the ninth inning before giving up a double to Joe Mauer.

"I got a pitch that was up a little bit up and tried to drive it to the gap," Mauer said. "His ball was moving, his slider was cutting."

"Unfortunately for Gavin, Mauer hit a ball that was just in a perfect spot," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said.

Mauer drove the ball into the gap in left centre field, just about a foot beyond the reach of a diving Nick Swisher.

"Not close enough," Swisher said. "I didn't make the catch, but you knew I was going for it."

"I hoped that it was an out," Floyd said. "I wasn't really looking at the ball.

"Then, I turned back and I saw Swish and Carlos [Quentin] coming after it. Swish made a great effort — you know, Superman."

Floyd (3-1) was lifted in favour of closer Bobby Jenks, who recorded the final two outs.

"He came close tonight," Pierzynski said of Floyd. "He had a great shot."

Charged with unearned run

Floyd, a veteran right-hander, had four strikeouts and three walks, and was charged with an unearned run on Jason Kubel's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Mauer drew a walk to lead off the inning, scampered to second base when Quentin was charged with an error on Justin Morneau's fly ball to left field and took third on Michael Cuddyer's flyout.

That brought Kubel to the plate and he delivered Mauer with a sacrifice fly to centre.

Jermaine Dye had two hits, including a solo home run, two runs batted in and two runs scored for the White Sox, who halted a six-game losing skid.

Quentin contributed two RBIs, while Joe Crede and Juan Uribe each had one RBI.

Floyd entered the contest with a 3.16 earned-run average in five starts this season, his second with the White Sox and fifth in the major leagues.

The 25-year-old held the Detroit Tigers hitless for 7 1/3 innings on April 12.

"Hopefully, I throw a no-hitter," Floyd said. "It didn't happen today, but we got a win."

With files from the Associated Press