Twins Seek Series Win Against White Sox After Offensive Breakthrough
With a sigh of relief and a bat-swinging resurgence, the Minnesota Twins finally notched their first win of the season — and now they’re eyeing a series victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon.
Minnesota rebounded from a brutal 9-0 shutout in Monday’s opener with an explosive 10-hit, 8-3 triumph on Tuesday, snapping a four-game skid during which they were outscored 28-6. The offensive spark was ignited in the sixth inning, when the Twins broke a 19-inning scoreless drought with a five-run surge, capped off by Harrison Bader’s emphatic three-run homer in the ninth.
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“You’ve got to force the issue sometimes,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can’t just keep saying, ‘We’re having pretty good at-bats.’ You’ve got to just take a game over at some point, just get a bunch of baserunners and bring them around.”
Ryan Jeffers and Ty France each logged multi-hit performances in the victory, providing much-needed support. However, star shortstop Carlos Correa continues to struggle, currently stuck in an 0-for-17 slump as he searches for his first hit of the season.
White Sox Lean on Pitching as Offense Struggles in Clutch
Despite putting together nine hits and strong individual outings from Lenyn Sosa and Andrew Benintendi, who both went 3-for-4, the White Sox offense faltered in key moments Tuesday, striking out 13 times and going just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Still, Chicago has a shot to secure its first series win of the year with a victory in the rubber match. That effort will once again lean heavily on its dominant starting rotation.
Rookie Shane Smith impressed in Tuesday’s loss, allowing only two runs and two hits over 5 2/3 innings. His outing marked the end of a remarkable run by White Sox starters, who had delivered 28 consecutive scoreless innings to start the season — the fourth-longest such streak since 1961, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Burke Looks to Continue Dominant Start Against Hungry Twins
Rookie right-hander Sean Burke will take the mound for Chicago on Wednesday, carrying the torch of the team’s early-season pitching success. Burke dazzled in his MLB debut against the Angels last Thursday, tossing six scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and striking out three.
“Just making quality pitches in the zone, getting ahead of guys,” Burke said of his approach. “We had a good game plan going in against the lineup as a whole, and I did a pretty good job executing.”
First-year manager Will Venable echoed the sentiment: “A lot of poise. He’s under control at all times.”
Burke, 25, has yet to face the Twins in his career — but he’ll be tested against a Minnesota team freshly reawakened at the plate.
Lopez Aims for Rebound After Shaky Start
Veteran Pablo Lopez will counter for Minnesota, hoping to bounce back from a rough outing against the Cardinals last week. In that start, Lopez was rocked early, surrendering hits to eight of the first 15 batters while also committing a balk and a throwing error.
Known for his effective changeup, Lopez admitted that he struggled with command in that appearance — a problem he’ll need to correct to navigate Chicago’s lineup.
“It’s one of my best pitches, especially to lefties,” Lopez said. “They say big leaguers make adjustments pitch-to-pitch instead of at-bat to at-bat.”
In five career starts against the White Sox, Lopez holds a 0-1 record with a 4.40 ERA over 28 2/3 innings.
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As this early-season series reaches its finale, both clubs are looking for traction — the Twins hope Tuesday’s offensive burst wasn’t a fluke, while the White Sox will count on another strong showing from their young pitching.
If you’re keeping an eye on how this series wraps up, be sure to check out the latest MLB expert picks and predictions to stay ahead of the game.