 totaled at least five homers for a major league-record ninth time this season, according to . Jose Berrios (9-5) pitched seven effective innings for his first win since June 6.The White Sox (45-55) lost for the 11th time in 14 games since the All-Star break and dropped 10 games below .500 for the first time this season. Yoan Moncada hit his 19th homer, but All-Star Lucas Giolito (11-5) was hit hard by Cruz and company.Cruz, who signed a $14.3 million, one-year contract with Minnesota in January, has six homers in his last four games and 25 overall this season. According to , he is the oldest player in major league history to hit six-plus homers in a four-game span, surpassing Barry Bonds, who hit seven in four games at age 36 in 2001.Cruz's outburst followed three-homer games by New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano on Tuesday night and St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong on Wednesday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the first time in major league history there's been a three-homer game on three consecutive days.Giolito (11-5) allowed seven runs and seven hits in five innings, dropping to 0-3 in four July starts.After Giolito departed, Sano hit a two-run shot off Jimmy Cordero in the sixth, and Jorge Polanco added an RBI single.TRAINER'S ROOMTwins: OF Byron Buxton (concussion symptoms) doubled twice in four at-bats in his return from an 11-day absence, the result of a collision with a wall at Cleveland on July 13. He also had three wisdom teeth extracted. ''It's one of those plays, where if it comes down to it and I had to do it again, I'd do it again,'' said Buxton, who started in center field and batted ninth. ''I'm going to be me.'' OF Jake Cave was sent to Triple-A Rochester.White Sox: SS Tim Anderson (sprained right ankle) singled and doubled in four at-bats with Triple-A Charlotte. He could return to the White Sox early next week. ... OF Eloy Jimenez (bruised right elbow) accelerated his physical activity and might not require a minor league rehab stint, Renteria said.UP NEXTTwins: RHP Michael Pineda (6-5, 4.41 ERA) will take the ball in the second of the four-game set on Friday night.White Sox: RHP Dylan Cease (1-2, 6.19 ERA) is set for his fourth career start.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
After tough battles with Yanks, Twins visit White SoxFLMLosing two of three games this week to a fellow first-place club somehow equaled a near-plus for the Minnesota Twins.Although the visiting New York Yankees took their American League showdown series from the Twins, Minnesota is poised to move beyond the outcome as it visits the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night."If you lose, there is some frustration," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "But we can also take a ton of positives about what we see out there." Yes, even from the Yankees' rousing comeback victory on Tuesday, Baldelli admitted. Trailing 8-2 after four innings, New York rallied for a 14-12 victory in 10 innings, with ex-Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks diving headlong onto the warning track to rob Minnesota's Max Kepler of a walk-off extra-base hit to end the game.The final three innings featured five lead changes or ties."If that's not the game of the year so far, I don't know what it would be," Minnesota right-hander Kyle Gibson said. "Two really, really good teams, two really, really good offenses, and two teams that never think they're out of the game. ... That's what playoff baseball looks like; two teams not giving up. Hopefully, the fans enjoyed it and hopefully they realize we're never out of a game." Minnesota nearly returned the favor Wednesday, cutting an early six-run deficit to two before losing 10-7.Twins right-hander Jose Berrios (8-5, 2.96 ERA) will look to re-establish himself Thursday against the White Sox. After pitching at least six innings in seven successive starts from May 24 to June 28 -- a run bookended by starts vs. the White Sox -- Berrios has not lasted longer than 5 2/3 innings in three outings since.Still, that hasn't translated to disaster. Berrios is 0-1 with a 3.45 ERA over his three July starts. Facing the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, Berrios threw a season-high 113 pitches while holding the A's scoreless over 5 2/3 innings before the bullpen faltered down the stretch in a 5-4 Minnesota loss.Berrios is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two starts against the White Sox this season, allowing 10 runs (four earned) in 14 innings while striking out nine. Berrios carries a 8-2 career mark and a 2.21 ERA in 11 career starts versus Chicago.The White Sox will counter with Lucas Giolito (11-4, 3.12 ERA). The right-hander took a no-decision at Tampa Bay on Saturday after spacing one run, seven hits, one walk and nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.Giolito had compiled a 6.48 ERA in his five previous starts, but he appeared to return to his All-Star form against the Rays behind improved fastball command."When I was throwing low heaters, they were low right at the line," Giolito said. "I felt like I was getting in on lefties and righties better than I have in my last two to three starts. And the changeup was a good complement to that. (Saturday) was a step in the right direction back on track." In seven career starts against Minnesota, Giolito is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA. He pitched five shutout innings against the Twins on June 30 in Chicago to earn the victory as the White Sox prevailed 4-3.--Field Level Media
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