The Chicago White Sox hadn’t had successful because the first inning, with Minnesota Twins pitchers retiring 24 consecutive batters coming into the ninth.
Luis Robert Jr. put an finish to that stretch in dramatic trend Tuesday at Target Field, hitting a game-tying homer on Jhoan Duran’s first pitch.
The homer — and a formidable relay within the backside of the inning involving Oscar Colás and Romy Gonzalez — despatched the sport to additional innings.
But the Twins scored on a defensive miscue within the backside of the tenth and beat the Sox 4-3 in entrance of 16,153.
Michael A. Taylor bunted on the primary pitch of the tenth, and third baseman Hanser Alberto threw wildly to first. Pinch runner Willi Castro scored from second on the sequence to spoil the Sox’s likelihood at getting again to .500.
“That was a bad, bad throw,” Alberto stated. “It was a completely bad throw, right to the runner. I threw a little bit sidearm, and that’s why the ball ran into the runner. It was the game.”
Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol hadn’t had an opportunity to get a more in-depth have a look at the ultimate play earlier than assembly with reporters however added, “I know that it didn’t work out in our favor, that’s for sure.”
The majority of the sport wasn’t going the Sox’s means.
Andrew Vaughn drove in two runs with a double within the first, the Sox’s third hit of the inning. They didn’t get one other hit till Robert’s homer.
“At the end of the day, runners in scoring position got us today,” Grifol stated. “I know this game’s really hard. I know those guys are really good too. At the end of the day, we’ve got to drive guys in with runners in scoring position.”
After the shaky begin, Twins starter Pablo López retired the ultimate 23 batters he confronted.
“He was pinpointing his pitches,” Robert stated by means of an interpreter.
The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts and one stroll in 7⅔ innings.
“He’s a good pitcher, but we’ve got to beat those types of pitchers,” Grifol stated. “Plain and simple.”
Sox starter Lance Lynn had a stable outing as effectively, permitting three runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks in six innings. He gave up a two-run homer to Byron Buxton within the first and a solo homer to Taylor within the second.
“When you get two in the first and you turn around and give it right back, that’s when you kind of kill the momentum,” Lynn stated. “I gave up one other one within the third and form of simply stopped our momentum offensively. I used to be capable of proper the ship, however once you get two within the first, you’ve obtained to get again in there with a zero.
“(López) throws a bunch of pitches (in the first) and I’ve got to have a quick inning and I didn’t. I had a long inning, I give the lead right back and it was tied. That one is on me.”
The Sox trailed 3-2 within the ninth when Robert related for his fifth homer of the season. He stated he was simply reacting to the first-pitch curveball.
“Right man, right spot,” Grifol stated. “Got a good pitch to hit and does what he does. Special talent. This guy’s one of the best players in the game.”
Christian Vázquez appeared to begin a rally within the Twins’ half of the ninth, hitting the ball to the right-center hole. The proper fielder Colás made a fantastic throw to the second baseman Gonzalez, who in flip made an incredible throw to get Vázquez at third to finish the inning.
“That was great by Oscar, (the) throw and then Romy,” Alberto stated. “That’s how we should play the game — hard and and smart.”
It took one pitch within the tenth for the momentum — and the sport — to go the Twins’ means.
“That was a regular play, so I should make that one easier,” Alberto stated. “Unfortunately I made a bad throw and I saw the ball, it was a bit to the pitcher (reliever Jesse Scholtens), but everything is on me. Continue to keep my head up and get ready for tomorrow.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com