Kepler draws bases-loaded walk in 13th, Twins top Chisox 2-1 (Jun 28, 2018)
CHICAGO (AP) Max Kepler drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded in the 13th inning and the Minnesota Twins outlasted the Chicago White Sox 2-1 Thursday.
The Twins pushed across the go-ahead run after Logan Morrison doubled off left fielder Charlie Tilson's glove with two outs. Hector Santiago (2-3), the sixth White Sox reliever, intentionally walked Ehire Adrianza before walking Jake Cave and Kepler.
Alan Busenitz (2-0), the Twins' sixth reliever, pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win.
Minnesota bounced back after the White Sox tied it with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when closer Fernando Rodney walked pinch-hitter Daniel Palka on four pitches to force in a run.
Rodney quickly got the first two Chicago hitters in the inning, but ended up blowing his fourth save in 21 chances. Yolmer Sanchez singled, Rodney hit Tim Anderson with a pitch and Charlie Tilson walked before Palka also walked.
Morrison hit his ninth homer deep to right to lead off the seventh for a 1-0 lead. The drive was just Minnesota's second hit off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, who didn't allow any until Eddie Rosario lined a double off first baseman Jose Abreu's glove with one out in the sixth.
Twins starter Jake Odorizzi tossed six shutout innings in his best outing in more than a month, allowing three hits and striking out eight. The righty was 0-3 with an 8.77 ERA in his six previous starts.
Giolito recovered after walking the bases loaded in the first for his lowest-scoring outing this season. The 6-foot-6 righty, who entered with a 7.01 ERA, allowed one run on four hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. He leads the AL with 51 walks.
Giolito escaped the first without allowing a run despite throwing just 11 of his first 26 pitches for strikes.
The White Sox barely threatened against Odorizzi.
BOOTED
Anderson, Chicago's shortstop, was ejected for the second time in his career in the 11th when he argued with umpire Gerry Davis after being caught stealing second.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: RF Taylor Motter hit the wall hard trying to catch Yoan Moncada's double in the sixth. Motter stayed down on the warning track for a couple of minutes, but was tended to by the trainer and remained in the game until Kepler pinch hit for him in the seventh. . INF Jorge Polanco (PED suspension) was scheduled to DH in one game and play shortstop in the other in a doubleheader for Triple-A Rochester on Thursday. He can be reinstated on July 5. . OF Byron Buxton (fractured left big toe) will play DH and play center field for Rochester.
White Sox: Sanchez left the game in the 13th after tripping on first base when he ran out a grounder. . Manager Rick Renteria said OF Nicky Delmonico (broken right middle finger) will start swinging a bat soon, but isn't close to beginning a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Twins: Ace RHP Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.15) takes the mound against LHP Mike Montgomery (2-2, 3.39) as the Twins move across town and meet the Cubs in the opener of a three-game interleague set that starts Friday. Berrios has won his last three decisions over five starts in June and has a 2.10 ERA during the span.
White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey (3-2, 3.45) faces RHP Yovani Gallardo when Chicago opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday. Covey left in the fifth inning of his previous start, last Saturday, with a right hip flexor strain, but after throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday said he felt fine.
