After a five-game winning streak to end the month of May, the Chicago White Sox found themselves on the wrong end of the result yesterday as they lost the first of three games in Minnesota. Monday night was an outlier compared to recent results, as it was the first time in a week they surrendered more than five runs. After taking two of three from the Twins just last week, the Good Guys look to do the same again, starting with a win tonight.
For a White Sox team looking to continue distancing itself from the rest of the AL Central, they have the best possible pitcher on the mound tonight. Davis Martin gets the ball today, and fans should have plenty of confidence in him. Martin has an 8-1 record with a 2.00 ERA so far this season. He hasn’t taken a loss in eight straight outings and has recorded a win in five of his last six starts. He should again get plenty of run support from an offense that currently ranks ninth in MLB in runs scored.
The Twins will look to get to Martin early while countering with Connor Prielipp. The rookie had a good start to the season through his first five starts, but has since struggled. In his last two outings, he’s allowed 12 runs in just over eight innings of work. Most notably, his last start came against the White Sox on May 27, when he allowed eight hits, six earned runs, and three walks before being chased midway through the fifth inning. While he didn’t give up the long ball, the South Siders found plenty of success playing small ball against Prielipp.
With Chicago having a massive advantage in the pitching matchup and the better offensive team, tagging the Twins for a few runs early will be key, as the longer the game stays close, the hairier it will get. The Twins are a much better squad when they score first, as they struggle to come from behind no matter the margin.
Here is the starting lineup for the South Siders:
And here is the lineup for the Minnesota Twins:
First pitch is 6:40 p.m. CST. You can watch on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000. Let us know your thoughts and predictions below!