13 strikeouts cost Twins in loss to White Sox

On Monday afternoon the Minnesota Twins began a three game series against their division rivals in the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Chicago committed three errors defensively, but the pitching struck out 13 Twins earning the Sox a 4-3 win in the end.

Kenta Maeda made his first home start in almost two years for the Twins, completing six innings with three strikeouts, but also giving up four runs while being tagged with the loss. Dylan Cease completed five innings giving up one earned run and striking out six, being credited with a win in the end.

Minnesota’s Nick Gordon hit into a ground ball fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third inning to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. The lead was short lived with Chicago’s Yasmani Grandal hitting an RBI single, knotting the game up in the top of the fourth inning. Moments later Hanser Alberto hit a three run homer on a rope to the left field bleachers giving the White Sox a 4-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. In the bottom half of the inning Trevor Larnach drove in an RBI single cutting the deficit to 4-2. The final run of the game would come in the bottom of the fifth inning with Gordon scoring on a Chicago error cutting the deficit to 4-3 for Minnesota.

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Chicago’s bullpen was lights out this afternoon, tossing four combined innings while striking out seven Twins and allowing only one baserunner. Minnesota’s bullpen was also solid, giving up zero hits and walking two batters in three innings of work.

The Twins and White Sox will continue their series on Tuesday evening with first pitch slated for 6:40 p.m. Pablo Lopez is scheduled to get the nod for Minnesota.