Twins shortstop Carlos Correa says 'I've heard worse' after blast by White Sox reliever Keynan Middleton.

CHICAGO — Carlos Correa was impressed by Keynan Middleton's pitches. His name-calling, not so much.

"I've heard worse," Correa shrugged Thursday when asked about Middleton calling him a cheater after the White Sox reliever struck him out to end Chicago's 6-4 victory over the Twins on Wednesday.

And it's true: Correa hears loud boos during nearly every road game he plays, so it's not like the Twins' shortstop ever forgets that he was part of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal a half-dozen years ago.

As Middleton made clear, Correa isn't the only one who hasn't forgotten.

Middleton told reporters after picking up his first save of the season that he took particular satisfaction out of whiffing Correa.

"I knew I was going to face Correa, and I don't like him. So it was kind of cool," Middleton said in the White Sox clubhouse. "I enjoyed that a lot. … I mean, he's a cheater."

Correa, who has admitted he benefited from the Astros' system of banging on trash cans to relay what pitch was coming, information that teammates were getting from catchers' signals via a live TV feed, didn't flinch when he was asked before Thursday's game about Middleton's opinion. In fact, he praised the pitcher, against whom he is 2-for-4 with two doubles in his career.

"I'm just glad he's doing good and he's playing good and he can take care of his family," Correa said of the former Angels and Mariners righthander. "Obviously, he's tough. He's getting better and that's why he's pitching high-leverage situations for them. I'm just glad he's up here again, performing and providing for his family."

Correa, who as a Twin has steadfastly answered every question posed to him about the scandal, and his Astros teammates were not punished for their sign-stealing because commissioner Rob Manfred granted them immunity in order to gain their cooperation in MLB's investigation. Manager A.J. Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow were fired and suspended in January 2020, a month after the scandal was revealed.

Hinch is now manager of the Tigers. Correa is in the first season of a six-year, $200 million contract with the Twins.

With the bases loaded in the 10th inning, White Sox third baseman Hanser Alberto was hit on the right wrist by a Brock Stewart pitch. Game over?

"You mean, did my heart stop?" Stewart said with a laugh after the game. "No. Because I saw him swing."

So did Twins catcher Christian Vázquez, who immediately stood up and indicated a swing, as Alberto took a couple of steps toward first base. Umpire Mark Ripperger agreed, calling Alberto out.

"He tried to act like it was not a swing," Stewart said. "It definitely hit him. It ran in there good. But no, he swung. It wasn't crazy inside, but he kind of turned into it."