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CHICAGO -- As openers go, this one was promising for the Chicago White Sox. 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 Marc Bergevin is satisfied with his teams first-half performance and wasnt tipping his hand on any possible moves as the Montreal Canadiens play out the stretch before next months Olympic break. The Habs general manager maintained that the teams success over the last three months are due in large part to special teams and the play of goaltender Carey Price. The Canadiens star goaltender struggled in the latter part of last season and Bergevin brought in former Chicago Blackhawks colleague Stephane Waite as goaltending coach to help get him back on the right track. "Carey has been our most valuable player this year," he told reporters during the teams morning skate in Philadelphia. "All the credit goes to him for his comeback. Hes come to work whenever he goes on the ice. He is playing great hockey and is one of the reasons why we are in our current position." Price and teammate P.K. Subban were both named to Canadas Olympic mens hockey team on Tuesday, joining six other Canadiens representing their countries in Sochi. Bergevin would not comment on the status of contract negotiations with Subban (a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer), but had plenty of praise for the young blueliner. "I dont want to discuss (the talks) publicly," he said. "Two years ago, he (Subban) was sometimes a healthy scratch. His progression has been huge and hes not finished." Bergevin also addressed questions regarding veteran forwarrd Daniel Briere, who has struggled in his first season with the Canadiens.dddddddddddd Briere, whos been the subject of trade speculation over the last week, has impressed both the GM and head coach Michel Therrien with his recent play - including a three-point performance against Ottawa on Saturday. "I never got wind of it," said Bergevin when asked of any possible rift between Briere and Therrien. "Daniel has faced difficulties, but hes on the right track. Hes played much better hockey for some time." And if Briere needs to look anywhere for some added inspiration, he doesnt need to look further than his own dressing room. "David Desharnais has had a difficult start to the season," said Bergevin. "And hes been one of our top players now for a long time." Bergevin, who had a first-hand look at some of the teams prospects at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden, also likes he sees for the future, particularly forward Jacob De la Rose whom he hopes will play in North America next season. "On the whole, our prospects performed well," he said. "All six players got a lot of ice time. I was especially impressed with (Jacob De la Rose), who is a big guy who did very well for Sweden. Also, Martin Reway, whos a lot smaller physically, had a great deal of success as well. They had key roles on their teams on such an important stage. The future looks promising for our kids." ' ' '