Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hit shutout of the second-highest scoring team in the major leagues, racking up 12 strikeouts for the Chicago White Sox in a 4-0 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday to take the series from the first-place Twins.
Giolito (14-6) allowed only runner past first base, a double by Jonathan Schoop in the eighth. The 25-year-old fanned Jake Cave to finish that inning and reach double-digit strikeouts for the third straight time, the first White Sox starter to do so since Chris Sale did so in eight consecutive turns in 2015. The last right-hander with a streak that long for the team was Edwin Jackson, with three in a row in 2010.
José Abreu went 3 for 5 with two RBIs for the White Sox from his usual third spot in the lineup, with Leury Garcia and Tim Anderson each producing two hits from their places in front of him. The first three batters scored all four runs against Twins starter Jake Odorizzi (13-6), who was outdone by his fellow American League All-Star.
Chicago White Sox's Adam Engel, left, dives safely back to first base as Minnesota Twins first baseman Miguel Sano waits for the ball in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoJim Mone)
Giolito matched Cleveland's Shane Bieber for the major league lead with his third complete game of the season. The White Sox and Indians have a baseball-best five apiece. Giolito got his with 115 pitches, without a walk.
The Twins were blanked for the third time this year, all at home and also on April 30 by Houston and June 17 by Boston. They took a three-game lead on the Indians in the AL Central into the day. This 13-game stretch entirely against the third-place White Sox and fifth-place Detroit Tigers that began this week looked like a favorable spot on the schedule, but losing two out of three at home to the White Sox was another reminder that solid starting pitching can make quite the difference, even if there's a considerable difference between two teams in the standings.
The Twins fell to 8-5 against the White Sox this season. They have lost seven consecutive weekday games with afternoon start times.
Chicago White Sox's Matt Skole drives in a run on a single off Minnesota Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoJim Mone)
The White Sox are aiming to be next year where the Twins are now, and if they can make a big jump in 2020, Giolito will surely be a major factor. He has deftly rebounded from a rough road from late June to late July with a strong August, producing his fifth straight quality start of six innings or more and three runs or fewer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: 3B Yoan Moncada, out for the last three weeks with a strained right hamstring, has gone 9 for 22 with two homers, six RBIs and six runs in the first five games of a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.
Chicago White Sox's Matt Skole, right, congratulates Leury Garcia after Garcia scored on a single by Jose Abreu off Minnesota Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoJim Mone)
Twins: LF Eddie Rosario was removed from the game after the fifth inning as a precaution due to tightness in his right hamstring.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Ross Detwiler (1-3, 6.10 ERA) was announced as the starter for Thursday night, when the White Sox start a four-game series at Texas. Detwiler's last appearance came in relief, a three-inning outing on Sunday. RHP Areil Jurado (6-9, 5.38 ERA) will pitch for the Rangers.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi throws against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoJim Mone)
Twins: After an off day, the Twins begin a three-game series against Detroit on Friday night with RHP José Berriós (10-6, 3.37 ERA) on the mound. Berriós has an 8.44 ERA over his last three turns, with 22 hits, eight walks and five homers allowed in 16 innings. The Tigers have yet to announce their starter.
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White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and first baseman José Abreu each made throwing errors on the same sloppy play, allowing the Minnesota Twins to score the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of a 2-1 victory over Chicago on Friday night.
Anderson made his sixth error in three games when he skipped a throw to first on Carlos Correa's two-out infield single that scored Ryan Jeffers from third. Correa may have stepped on Abreu's glove while he tried to scoop the ball, ripping it off Abreu's hand.
Abreu chased down the misfire and whipped the ball home, even though baserunner Luis Arraez had stopped at third. Abreu's throw was also wild, and Arraez scampered home for a 2-1 lead.
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn rounds the bases and points to center field where he hit a home run against Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
Anderson was suspended shortly before first pitch Friday after giving a fan in Cleveland the middle finger Wednesday, when he had three errors in two innings as Chicago fell into a 10-0 hole. He's appealing the ban and will play until the matter is settled.
The 28-year-old had two more errors in a loss Thursday and has six through 10 games this year. He committed 10 errors all of last season.
The White Sox loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Emilio Pagán escaped for his second save. He got Reese McGuire to pop out for the second out and struck out Jake Burger looking to end the game.
Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
Twins starter Bailey Ober’s only blunder was a solo homer by Andrew Vaughn in the fifth inning. Ober struck out six and didn’t issue a walk in five innings.
The loss for Chicago negated another strong start for Michael Kopech. Chicago’s 25-year-old right-hander tossed five scoreless innings and struck out seven. Kopech has allowed just one earned run in three starts this year.
Gary Sanchéz was scratched from the Twins lineup shortly before Friday’s game, but no reason was given. He was originally slated to catch and bat seventh.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
Kendall Graveman (0-1) was charged with the loss. Tyler Duffey (1-2) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win.
GREEN GLOVE
The Twins were awarded the 2021 Green Glove Award, given by Major League Baseball to the team with the highest waste diversion rate. Nearly 99% of waste at Target Field last season was saved from landfills, which was tops in the majors. It’s the first time since the award’s inception in 2008 that it went to a team other than the San Francisco Giants (12 times) or Seattle Mariners (twice).
Minnesota Twins third baseman Gio Urshela dives to stop a ground ball single hit by Chicago White Sox's Gavin Sheets during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
ROSTER MOVE
Before Friday’s game, Chicago placed RHP Matt Foster on the family medical leave list and reinstated OF A.J. Pollock from the 10-day injured list. Pollock was placed on the IL on April 12 with a strained right hamstring after appearing in just two games this season.
UP NEXT
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn (25) celebrates with third base coach Joe McEwing after hitting a home run against Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
RHP Vince Velasquez (0-1, 4.15 ERA) is making his third start of the season Saturday for Chicago and will look to make it through five innings for the first time this year. Minnesota will counter with Dylan Bundy (2-0, 0.87), who has allowed just one run in his first two starts in a Twins uniform.
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Minnesota Twins's Luis Arraez (2) cerebrates with teammates after scoring after the Chicago White Sox commit two errors on a play during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Emilio Pagan reacts after striking out Chicago White Sox's Jake Burger with the bases loaded to win a baseball game, Friday, April 22, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP PhotoCraig Lassig)
