MINNEAPOLIS — More than five minutes into an at-bat against Chicago White Sox reliever John Brebbia, the Target Field crowd growing louder with each pitch, Willi Castro pulled a 95-mph fastball into right field for a two-run single.

After Castro’s 13-pitch at-bat with two outs in the eighth inning, padding the Twins’ one-run lead with insurance runs during a 6-2 victory, the crowd chanted his first name as he stood on first base: “Willi! Willi!”

The Twins, who received a strong start from Bailey Ober and a go-ahead homer from Max Kepler in the seventh inning, handed the White Sox their 19th consecutive loss. The Twins have an 18-2 record against their division rival since May 4, 2023, and it was the second straight night they added to their lead in the eighth inning.

As much trouble as the Twins have against the top teams in the majors, they’ve overpowered the clubs at the bottom of the standings. Kepler put the Twins ahead when he drilled a hanging curveball for a solo homer to right field in the seventh inning against White Sox reliever Touki Toussaint.

Ober gave up two hits and two runs in seven innings while striking out seven. Pitching in front of an announced crowd of 38,289, the Twins’ second sellout of the season, Ober didn’t give up his first hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning.

Korey Lee, the No. 9 hitter in the White Sox lineup, lined a fastball down the right-field line, and Twins right fielder Manuel Margot made an ill-advised attempt to cut off the ball at an aggressive angle. The ball skipped past a sliding Margot, scoring Gavin Sheets, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, from first base.

The White Sox immediately gave the run back. Austin Martin hit a liner into left field against reliever Touki Toussaint, and left fielder Corey Julks misplayed the ball, allowing it to roll to the wall and giving Martin two extra bases. With a runner on third base and none out, Brooks Lee laced an RBI single to right field.

The only other hit Ober allowed Saturday was a tying homer to White Sox shortstop Brooks Baldwin. It was Baldwin’s first career homer, ambushing a first-pitch fastball to lead off the fifth inning and sending the ball over the wall in right-center field.

Ober retired his final six batters, which included three strikeouts. He has posted a 1.95 ERA over his last eight starts with 63 strikeouts in 551/3 innings.

The Twins totaled only one hit against White Sox lefthanded starter Garrett Crochet, but that’s all they needed for an early lead. Ryan Jeffers lifted an elevated cutter with two outs in the second inning, and the ball carried over the left-field fence for a solo homer. It was Jeffers’ team-leading 16th home run of the season.

Jeffers seemingly has a knack of performing with Joe Mauer at the game. He homered twice when Mauer was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame last August.

Crochet walked the bases loaded in the third inning, issuing two free passes with two outs. Jose Miranda, in a 2-0 count, ended the potential rally when he swung at a 98-mph fastball off the outside corner and his bat shattered on a groundout to shortstop.

It was Crochet’s first post-trade deadline start. The White Sox didn’t deal him after it became public that Crochet requested a contract extension before pitching in the postseason. In his first year as a starting pitcher, he has thrown more innings this season than the rest of his pro career combined.

Crochet, the American League leader in strikeouts, lasted four innings and struck out only two, his lowest total in a start this year.

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