Twins swept in double-header for the second time in a week

When the Twins played two on Thursday they were demolished in game one before the offense was shut out in a much closer contest. Yesterday, both games were more competitive, but the results were the same. Phil Hughes struck out a career-high 11 in game one but still took the loss, and in game two the Twins took a ninth inning lead before Glen Perkins blew it in the bottom half.

The Minnesota offense scored one run in the 3:00 game, while the White Sox strung together five in spite of the shadows over home plate that led to a combined 29 strikeouts. Jose Quintana sent the Twins down on strikes 13 times in his seven innings, meaning Hughes' 11 paired well. The record for a nine-inning game is 31 strikeouts, so that gives you an idea of just how inhibiting those streaks of shadows were. Or how good the pitchers were, if you're an optimist.

Game two was...better? Worse? The Twins took a 4-0 lead in the first before Chicago tied it in the bottom of the fourth. A run in the top of the fifth gave Minnesota their second lead before the Sox tied it up in the sixth. Kurt Suzuki's RBI double put the Twins up in the ninth, for the third time, but then Perkins served up a two-run homer to Dayan Viciedo. Three leads. Three lost leads.

Good news, everyone! Just 14 games left!

Studs

Don't talk to me

Duds

*Headdesk*