A series sweep was there for the taking. Not once but four times — in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th innings.

But the White Sox, with a chance to win their fourth straight, take three games from the AL Central leading Twins and go on a road trip against the Reds and Royals with some desperately needed juice, failed repeatedly late with runners in scoring position before the Twins scored five in the 12th against Alexander Colome for a 7-3 victory Thursday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox fell to 10-22. The Twins are 18-14.

Lucas Giolito pitched seven innings of one run ball, and Eloy Jimenez stayed hot with a two-run homer against Twins starter Pablo Lopez.

The Twins got home runs from Carlos Correa against Giolito in the sixth and Byron Buxton against Reynaldo Lopez in the eighth.

The Sox blew a chance to score against Twins hard-throwing righty Jhoan Duran in the eighth when pinch runner Hamilton stole second and got to third on a pitch in the dirt. But with the infield in, Jimenez grounded sharply to shortstop and pinch hitter Tim Anderson tapped out softly to third before Hanser Alberto grounded out to strand Hamilton.

Jimenez drove in a run with a single in the 12th.

The Sox open a three-game series at Cincinnati on Friday.