Byron Buxton's diving catch in the 9th inning seals the Twins' 4-2 win over the struggling White Sox

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bailey Ober worked six strong innings to win his second straight start, Trevor Larnach hit a two-run homer and Byron Buxton made a diving catch to end the game and seal the Minnesota Twins' 4-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

The White Sox loaded the bases in the ninth inning on an infield single and two walks off Twins closer Jhoan Duran. But the 27-year-old right-hander allowed just one run and earned his second save in as many chances when center fielder Buxton made a leaping, game-saving catch at the warning track in right-center on a liner by Andrew Benintendi with runners at second and third.

Ober (2-1) allowed one run on eight hits with six strikeouts. After giving up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings in his season debut, Ober has allowed six runs in his last four starts, covering 22 1/3 innings.

Rookie Luke Keaschall, playing in his fourth big league game since being recalled on Friday, had a single, walked twice, stole two bases and scored two runs for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Larnach hit his second homer of the season after Keaschall walked and stole second in the eighth inning.

Chicago’s Davis Martin (1-3) allowed two runs, none earned, in five innings, giving up three hits and three walks. Rookie catcher Edgar Quero had a career-high three hits in just his sixth game as the White Sox lost for the eighth time in nine games and slipped to 5-18.

Keaschall scored the go-ahead run in the third inning when Quero’s throw to first hit Larnach in the back, one of two White Sox errors. Larnach had hit a dribbler in front of the plate and Keaschall scored from second.

Chicago is now 1-10 on the road this season and 1-9 against the AL Central. The White Sox are 3-22 in their last 25 games, while being outscored 157-83, against the Twins. They have lost 13 straight at Target Field.

Rookie RHP David Festa (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his third start this season for Minnesota. Chicago RHP Bryse Wilson (0-0, 4.50 ERA) is making his first start of the season and first since June 20 of last season for Milwaukee against San Diego.

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Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrates with left fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (21) after catching a fly out by Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi (23) as the final out of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) catches a fly out by Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi (23) as the final out of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Chicago White Sox's Nick Maton (0) walks back to the dugout after striking out during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Chicago White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa (50) fields a groundout hit by Minnesota Twins' Edouard Julien (47) during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins' Luke Keaschall (15) beats the tag by Chicago White Sox shortstop Jacob Amaya (8) to steal second base during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Davis Martin (65) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober (17) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach (9) hits a 2-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox,Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) catches a fly out by Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi (23) as the final out of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Saudi warplanes have reportedly struck on Friday forces in southern Yemen backed by the United Arab Emirates, a separatist leader says.

This comes as a Saudi-led operation attempts to take over camps of the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, in the governorate of Haramout that borders Saudi Arabia.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE rose after the STC moved last month into Yemen’s governorates of Hadramout and Mahra and seized an oil-rich region. The move pushed out forces affiliated with the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces, a group aligned with the coalition in fighting the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen accused the head of the STC of blocking a Saudi mediation delegation from landing in the southern city of Aden.

The STC deputy and former Hamdrmout governor, Ahmed bin Breik, said in a statement that the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces advanced toward the camps, but the separatists refused to withdraw, apparently leading to the airstrikes.

Mohamed al-Nakib, spokesperson for the STC-backed Southern Shield Forces, also known as Dera Al-Janoub, said Saudi airstrikes caused fatalities, without providing details. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify that claim.

Al-Nakib also accused Saudi Arabia in a video on X of using “Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda militias” in a "large-scale attack " early Friday that he claimed sepratists were able to repel.

He likened the latest developments to Yemen’s 1994 civil war, “except that this time it is under the cover of Saudi aviation operations.”

Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout who was chosen Friday by Yemen's internationally recognized government to command the Saudi-led forces in the governorate, refuted STC claims, calling them “ridiculous” and showing intentions of escalation instead of a peaceful handover, according Okaz newspaper, which is aligned with the Saudi government.

Earlier on Friday, al-khanbashi called the current operation of retrieving seized areas “peaceful.”

“This operation is not a declaration of war and does not seek escalation,” al-Khanbashi said in a speech aired on state media. “This is a responsible pre-emptive measure to remove weapons and prevent chaos and the camps from being used to undermine the security in Hadramout,” he added.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen demands the withdrawal of STC forces from the two governorates as part of de-escalation efforts. The STC has so far refused to hand over its weapons and camps.

The coalition's spokesperson Brig. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said Friday on X that Saudi-backed naval forces were deployed across the Arabian Sea to carry out inspections and combat smuggling.

In his post on X, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, said the kingdom had tried “all efforts with STC” for weeks "to stop the escalation" and to urge the separatists to leave Hadramout and Mahra, only to be faced with “continued intransigence and rejection from Aidarous al-Zubaidi," the STC head.

Al-Jaber said the latest development was not permitting the Saudi delegation's jet to land in Aden, despite having agreed on its arrival with some STC leaders to find a solution that serves “everyone and the public interest.”

Yemen’s transport ministry, aligned with STC, said Saudi Arabia imposed on Thursday requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden International Airport undergo inspection in Jeddah. The ministry expressed “shock” and denounced the decision. There was no confirmation from Saudi authorities.

ِA spokesperson with the transport ministry told the AP late Thursday that all flights from and to the UAE were suspended until Saudi Arabia reverses these reported measures.

Yemen has been engulfed in a civil war for more than a decade, with the Houthis controlling much of the northern regions, while a Saudi-UAE-backed coalition supports the internationally recognized government in the south. However, the UAE also helps the southern separatists who call for South Yemen to secede once again from Yemen. Those aligned with the council have increasingly flown the flag of South Yemen, which was a separate country from 1967-1990.

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Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Fatma Khaled in Cairo contributed to this report.

Southern Yemen soldiers of Southern Transitional Council (STC) at a check point, in Aden, Yemen, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo)