MINNEAPOLIS - It would have been the eighth wonder of Zach Stewart's brief career. But it wasn't meant to be.
The 24-year-old White Sox right-hander, in his eighth major-league start, pitched seven perfect innings against the Minnesota Twins on Monday night that had 39,849 fans and the White Sox dugout buzzing at Target Field. He settled for one-hit complete game for a 4-0 victory that gave the Sox (70-69) a day-night doubleheader sweep. Stewart struck out nine and allowed no walks.
Stewart followed right-hander Philip Humber's stellar, seven-inning start in the Sox' 2-1 victory in Game 1 and left the Sox, after one long Labor Day of baseball, feeling a notch or two better about their starting rotation as they make plans for next season.
Stewart (2-3), acquired by the Sox before the trade deadline along with veteran reliever Jason Frasor from the Toronto Blue Jays in the three-team Edwin Jackson deal, had shown flashes of good things in his four starts since coming to Chicago.
In his previous two starts, however, he was 0-1 with 13 earned runs allowed over 10 2/3 innings. In Monday's nightcap, he struck out seven and walked none.
The gem by Stewart was shaping up as a possible payback of sorts for the Sox. Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano no-hit them on May 3 at U.S. Cellular Field, a 1-0 decision in which Jackson took the loss.
Stewart threw 114 pitches, 75 strikes.