CHICAGO -- As openers go, this one was promising for the Chicago White Sox. Vans Shoes Discount . Now, all they have to do is build on it. Alejandro De Aza hit two homers, and Jose Abreu had two hits in his major league debut to back Chris Sale and lead the White Sox to a 5-3 season-opening victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday. "Its a big deal because of what last year was," manager Robin Ventura said. Last year was a 99-loss nightmare, a collapse after they finished second in the AL Central in 2012. This year, they insist, will be better. They are off to a good start, even if they beat a team that is trying to stop a losing cycle. Sale got the win, pitching five-hit ball into the eighth. Paul Konerko got a loud ovation before what was likely his final opener, although he didnt play. The White Sox got clutch hits, hustled on the bases, and played error-free ball to start the season on a winning note. Abreu doubled on the first pitch he saw leading off the second inning against Ricky Nolasco and scored on De Azas two-run homer to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. He also drove in the go-ahead run with a single during a two-run third after Minnesotas Kurt Suzuki tied it with a two-run single in the top half. It was a good start for Abreu, who insisted he didnt feel any real first-game jitters. That line drive double to right, on a ball that Oswaldo Arcia appeared to misjudge, didnt hurt. "You wanted to get that first one out of the way," Abreu, who signed a six-year, $68 million deal in the off-season, said through an interpreter. "Once you get it, its a very happy moment. The first thing I thought of was my mother." Abreus family is expected to join him at some point this season. He wouldnt say where his mom is, other than "somewhere close, but we cant really comment on that." De Aza made it 5-2 with a solo shot just over the right-field wall in the sixth inning for his first career multihomer game. It was also the first for Chicago on opening day since Jim Thome at Cleveland in 2008, and the first by a White Sox player in a season opener at home since 1960, when Minnie Minoso hit two against the Kansas City Athletics. That was enough for Sale, who allowed three runs and struck out eight and walked one. The two-time All-Star came out with a 5-2 lead with one out and a runner on second in the eighth. Ronald Belisario allowed a two-out RBI single to Suzuki before Donnie Veal retired Joe Mauer on a grounder. Matt Lindstrom came on in the ninth after being announced as the closer by Ventura before the game. The right-hander gave up a one-out double to Chris Colabello before striking out Trevor Plouffe and retiring Arcia on a grounder to the mound for his first save since April 2011 when he was with Colorado. Nolasco took the loss in a shaky debut with Minnesota. One of the top free agent pitchers last winter, he gave up five runs and 10 hits in six innings. "I thought we played good, we battled all game," Nolasco said. "Put up some runs, gave a good fight to Chris Sale and made it interesting late. Come back tomorrow or the next day and try and build off that." The Twins are trying to pick themselves up after back-to-back 96-loss seasons and dropping a staggering 291 games the past three years. There was a glitch before the game with the Twins replay system as two blown fuses disabled a pair of monitors in the Minnesota clubhouse. That was fixed in time for the first pitch, but things didnt get much better for the Twins. That is because the White Sox got the big hits from Abreu and De Aza to back Sale. Notes: Konerko had started the previous 15 openers for the White Sox and 16 straight overall. He is in a reduced role after re-signing for one year. ... Minnesota LHP Brian Duensing was placed on the paternity list before Mondays game. RHP Michael Tonkin was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace Duensing, whose wife Lisa gave birth to a boy named Boston Matthew Duensing. . Twins general manager Terry Ryan didnt travel with the team to Chicago. Ryan was undergoing radiation to treat cancer. 20:29ET 31-03-14 Vans Old Skool Clearance Sale .Martin Caceres marked his return from injury by scoring in the 3-1 win at Napoli and he believes Juventus sent out a warning to the rest of the league with that result.We go out on the pitch every game looking to give our all, Caceres said. Vans Old Skool Cheap . -- Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend. http://www.vanssalestore.com/ .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday.St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Jared Spurgeon and Mikko Koivu scored 1:55 apart in the third period to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kyle Brodziak had a second-period goal and Darcy Kuemper made 34 saves for the Wild, who snapped a four-game losing streak at home and picked up just their second win in their last eight games overall. We were far from perfect, but I thought it was a solid team win, said Minnesota coach Mike Yeo. Jonathan Bernier stopped 26 shots for Toronto, which fell to 2-4-0 on its seven-game trip. The Maple Leafs entered the third down a goal, but Cody Franson scored on a 5- on-3 power play to tie it up. Franson beat Kuemper on a one-timer from the high slot at the 2:37 mark. Minnesota regained the lead when Spurgeon ripped a slap shot from the right ccircle past Bernier at 7:23. Vans Toy Story Sale. Koivu then scored a power-play goal off a pass from Thomas Vanek at 9:18. Bernier robbed Vanek with a sprawling save in a scoreless first period. Mike Santorelli appeared to score a power-play goal at 7:45 of the second period, but the tally was waved off because David Clarkson made contact with Kuemper in the crease. A short time later, the Wild grabbed the lead. Brodziak had a pass or shot from Charlie Coyle deflect in off his left skate at 10:14. Game Notes Coyle had two assists ... Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin rejoined the lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury ... Toronto forward Nazem Kadri missed Fridays game with a lower-body injury ... The Maple Leafs conclude their trek Saturday in Winnipeg. ' ' '