The White Sox have lost back-to-back games to the Twins, falling 6-4 tonight. Davis Martin fought with his command all night, unable to make it through five innings. While the offense didn’t provide, the poor pitching performance certainly was a catalyst for a tough loss. The bullpen took control in the late innings, but loading the bases and leaving them stranded moments later also hurt the momentum this team carried into Minnesota.
There was not much action in the game until the third inning, just a pair of Twins singles that went nowhere. Connor Prielipp gave up a leadoff walk to Luisangel Acuña in the third, who stole second and third before reaching home on a throwing error, putting the first run of the game on the board. With one out, Chase Meidroth singled, and Randal Grichuk followed up with a double. Miguel Vargas would be the decision-maker, plating two runs with a single. Edgar Quero also singled, but two outs would quickly follow, including an unfortunate two-out bunt decision from Derek Hill.
Martin would also face a little trouble on the base paths in the bottom of the third. Tristan Gray singled and advanced on a questionable balk call. Alex Jackson singled, and Brooks Lee’s sac fly would send a run in. Martin was able to work through the rest of the inning, only giving up the one run despite some sloppy defense from his teammates.
Martin struggled again in the bottom of the fourth. Trevor Larnach doubled, and he gave up a walk to Austin Martin. Luke Keaschall doubled, giving the Twins another run with two on base and only one out. Gray gave the Twins the lead with an RBI single, sending in two runs before then getting to second base. Gray stole third and got home after a single from Jackson. Another base hit, this time from Byron Buxton, would get the bullpen stirring after Martin surrendered five hits in the inning. A double play would thankfully end any additional threat.
The Twins kept the White Sox in check for two straight innings, and Martin continued to wrestle with his command. Despite starting the fifth with a strikeout, he gave up back-to-back walks right after. Those free passes would haunt him when Keaschall singled, and Sam Antonacci couldn’t get the ball home in time. After the run, Martin stepped out for Sean Newcomb to take over and end the fifth. Alas, the Twins were up 6-3.
The seventh would start with back-to-back singles, a wild pitch, and then an RBI single from Meidroth, putting the Good Guys within two.
Colson Montgomery, who came in to face the righty once the bullpen arrived, was plunked to load the bases, but Antonacci left them stranded with a strikeout. The eighth would see two runners on base, but no runs would cross, and the ninth fell flat for the South Siders. They stranded nine runners on base tonight and 16 over the last two nights, costing them the series.
That off day can’t come soon enough.