I guess the Chicago White Sox are tired of losing to the Twins.
After being blown out in back to back games, the Sox wasted no time in getting their act together, scoring five runs in the first inning and ultimately held on for the 7-6 win Saturday.
Twins starter Pablo Lopez was not his usual self, especially after he struck out 14 batters in his last appearance. He did strike out eight hitters, but he also allowed five runs on eight hits, including two home runs, over five innings. He falls to 10-8 on the season with a 3.58 ERA.
Rookie Royce Lewis had three hits, but otherwise the offense had an off night. Twins hitters went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. Still, they showed some fight in the eighth and ninth innings by scoring five runs.
The Twins still have a chance to take the series. Sonny Gray gets the ball Sunday.
Extra innings …
-The Twins are 78-71 and lead the Cleveland Guardians by seven games after the Guards knocked off the Texas Rangers. The Twins have got this, right? Right?
-Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is apparently on paternity leave to be with his wife as she prepares to give birth to twin boys. As I’ve said before, if you play or work for the Twins isn’t this required?
-On Sept. 16, 1991, the Twins’ Kevin Tapani blanked the Kansas City Royals 9-0 to earn his 15th win of the season, making him the third Twins pitcher with at least that many wins.
The Star and Tribune lede:
“Monday night at the Metrodome, Tapani threw (7-plus) three-hit innings and benefited from the awakening of the Twins’ offense. He and Paul Abbott shut out the Royals 9-0 as the Twins reduced their magic number to 10.”
The Kansas City Star lede:
“Each time, the hurt burrows deeper into Mark Gubicza. Another game, another loss, another explanation. On this night it was the Minnesota Twins who handed Gubicza his latest pain, a 9-0 drubbing Monday at the Metrodome.”
Advantage: Kansas City Star.
Sources: MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com, Newspapers.com