Twins 5, White Sox 3: Berrios leads team one step closer to postseason

No bombas, but still a Twins win?? With the Cleveland ballclub having a off day, the Twins increased their lead to five games and decreased the magic number to eight with their 92nd win of the season. Read about it below!

The White Sox opened the scoring in the top of the first, cashing in a run on a sacrifice fly. However, they also had a poor baserunning decision on the play, as Yoan Moncada was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play as well. Berrios would give up a solo bomb to James McCann in the second inning as well, but he would settle in after that. He faced just a few batters over the minimum until he was replaced with one out in the eighth inning. He finished with a line of 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 8 K to provide another encouraging outing as a possible ALDS Game 1 start seems more and more likely.

The Twins didn’t take long to equal the score after McCann’s dinger, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second off of a Jorge Polanco sacrifice fly and a Nelson Cruz two-out single. Mitch Garver would put the Twins on top with a two-out double in the fifth inning, smashing a ball off of the right field wall to drive in Jorge Polanco.

After Miguel Sano worked a walk in a 12-pitch at-bat to start the sixth inning, the Twins were able to use some more clutch hitting to extend the lead. After Marwin Gonzalez hit into a fielder choice and Lamonte Wade smacked a double to left, Luis Arraez hit a funky ground ball to the left side that snuck through to drive in two runs.

Latroy Hawkins said the ball had some “english” on it while Dick Bremer was convinced that it hit something, but either way Arraez was able to collect his third hit of the night and provide the Twins some insurance runs. Berrios and Tyler Duffey (0.2 IP) got the Twins to the ninth inning, and Sergio Romo came in to close the game.

The eccentric veteran hung a slider to the White Sox first batter, Eloy Jimenez, and Chicago’s rising star blasted the ball into the left field seats to bring the game to within two runs. After striking out McCann, Taylor Rogers came in to face the lefty Matt Skole and close the game.

The White Sox countered by pinch-hitting righty Wellington Castillo, who grounded out. The Twins closer finished the Sox off with a strikeout, bring the Twins one step closer to clinching the AL Central.

STUDS:

Jose Berrios: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

Luis Arraez: 3-4, 2 RBI

Mitch Garver: 2-3, 2B, BB, RBI

DUDS:

NO DUDS, TWINS WIN!!!

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