Miranda gets big hit as the Twins beat the White Sox 8-3 for their first win this season

CHICAGO (AP) — Jose Miranda hit a tiebreaking two-run single in Minnesota's five-run sixth inning, and the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 8-3 on Tuesday night for their first win of the season.

Ryan Jeffers and Ty France each had two hits for Minnesota, and Harrison Bader added a three-run homer in the ninth.

The Twins trailed 3-0 before rallying with two outs in the sixth. Jeffers and France greeted Penn Murfee (0-1) with RBI singles. Willi Castro was hit by a pitch before Edouard Julien singled in Jeffers.

Miranda then made it 5-3 when he drove France and Castro with a bloop single to right.

White Sox right-hander Shane Smith allowed two hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut. He struck out three and walked four.

Chicago's starting pitchers worked 23 innings without allowing an earned run over the team's first four games.

Brooks Baldwin drove in two runs for the White Sox, and Nick Maton connected for his second homer of the season.

Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson struck out five while pitching four innings of two-run ball. Louis Varland (1-0) got the win.

The Twins had little success against Smith before Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach worked two-out walks to ignite the rally in the sixth.

The Twins scored a total of six runs in their first four games.

Minnesota’s Pablo López opposes Sean Burke in the series finale Wednesday.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop Brooks Baldwin throws out Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa at first after forcing out Matt Wallner during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, scores on a one-run single by Brooks Baldwin as Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers looks to the field during the second inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago White Sox's Brooks Baldwin hits a one-run single during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Shane Smith throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.

Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.”

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.

The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.

In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.

“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.

Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.”

Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said.

Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud.

Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.

Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said.

Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party.

Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating.

“My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.”

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.

The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering.

Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.

There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.

Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.

Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.

“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.

The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.

“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."

Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”

Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.

Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)

Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)