MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Willi Castro hit a 3-run home run on his 27th birthday and Joe Ryan pitched six innings for his first win of the year as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 Wednesday.
Castro’s homer capped a four-run second inning against Chicago left-hander Garrett Crochet. It was his second career home run on his birthday and it drove in Austin Martin and Christian Vásquez.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Willi Castro hit a 3-run home run on his 27th birthday and Joe Ryan pitched six innings for his first win of the year as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 Wednesday.
Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro hits a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton points after hitting a single during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet stands on the mound after a three-run home run by Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana, left, beats the tag by Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee to score during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana dives to score against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro, right, poses for a photo with Christian Vázquez after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
“It’s the best birthday I’ve had so far,” Castro said.
Castro entered the game batting .169 with one homer and four RBI as one of several Twins' hitters struggling at the plate in the first month of the season. He also added a double off Crochet in the fourth for his second multi-hit game of the year.
Ryan (1-1) had a pair of three-strikeout innings, but also allowed solo homers in the third to Kevin Pillar and Korey Lee. The Twins righty struck out eight and gave up three runs to win for the first time in five starts.
Following the two homers, Ryan responded by striking out three batters — all swinging — in a scoreless fourth. He also pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to end his night.
“He just kept pitching today,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I thought it was a very solid outing for Joe. He did his normal missing bats and not really walking (guys). ... That's great stuff. That's exactly what we're looking for.”
Minnesota, which had a season-high 13 hits, has won the first three games of the four-game series against the White Sox, who hold the worst record in the majors at 3-21.
Crochet (1-4) surrendered five runs on seven hits in four innings. He’s lost his last three outings.
“His stuff was working, it was effective. They had a good plan going into the game," Lee said of Crochet. “He’s been doing well all year and I think they obviously did their homework on him. We do our homework on them, and they put the bat on the ball. When you put the bat on the ball, good things happen in this game.”
Chicago executed a double steal in the fifth to cut Minnesota’s lead to 4-3. Lee beat a throw from Twins catcher Carlos Santana to steal second base, allowing Braden Shewmake to score from third base.
The Twins added two runs in the bottom of the inning. Pinch hitter Max Kepler’s bloop to shallow center drove in Manny Margo, and Kepler later scored on a wild pitch. Kepler has driven in a run in each of his three games since returning from the injured list.
Griffin Jax pitched a scoreless inning for his third save of the year.
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Chicago right-hander Michael Soroka (0-3, 7.50 ERA) is looking for his first win of the year after allowing five runs in each of his last two starts. The Twins announced after Wednesday's game that Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 1.69) will be recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to start Thursday's series finale. Bailey Ober's start will be pushed back to Friday in Anaheim.
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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet winds up during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro hits a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton points after hitting a single during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet stands on the mound after a three-run home run by Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana, left, beats the tag by Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee to score during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana dives to score against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro, right, poses for a photo with Christian Vázquez after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
NAFPAKTOS, Greece (AP) — The procession of “Epitaphios," symbolizing the bier that carried the body of Jesus to his grave, took place across Greece on Friday, which was Good Friday in the Orthodox Christian calendar.
The solemn processions, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square.
The city of Nafpaktos, in western Greece, is one such city. Once part of the Byzantine Empire, it was later hotly contested between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetians, who called the town Lepanto. One of the largest ever naval battles, the Battle of Lepanto, involving nearly 450 ships, was fought in the nearby Gulf of Patras on Oct. 7, 1571. A coalition of Western states defeated the Ottoman fleet.
Partly in commemoration of that event, local fishermen put their own stamp on the Good Friday bier procession by lighting fires on the battlements of the Venetian-built fortifications. The event was revived in the 1950s and, each year it follows a similar script: While the processions from the two main parishes get underway, fires are lit on the battlements at sunset and a chorus sings hymns. This year, choral work by a modern Greek composer was performed.
A large cross was erected in the port’s entrance with wire and adorned with lanterns, adding to the atmospherics of the event.
After a sermon by the local bishop, the processions departed from the port for their respective parishes around 10 p.m. and fireworks lit up the sky.
A city official said attendance was significantly higher this year, with many visitors coming to watch the procession, in addition to a significant portion of Nafpaktos’ 25,000 residents.
Nellas reported from Athens, Greece.
A burning cross, candles and fires illuminate the Venetian port before the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A municipality worker installs a burning cross before the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Municipality workers install a burning cross as a mixed choir sing before the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, arrives at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Altar boys take part in the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The processions from the two main parishes, known as "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, meet at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Altar boys take part in the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pilgrims wait for the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, arrives at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, pass the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The processions from the two main parishes, known as "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, meet at the Venetian port, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Fireworks explode over the Venetian port after the procession of "Epitaphios", the bier that carries the body of Jesus Christ to his grave, in Nafpaktos town, western Greece, on Good Friday, May 3, 2024. The solemn processions in Greece, with the flower-adorned biers followed by the clergy and the faithful, are often spectacular, especially in places where bier processions from each parish converge into a central square. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
