White Sox 2, Twins 1: Sox Take Series in the Twin Cities

That was a great game, filled with “sportsmanship!’

Right, Tony?

It was vintage Lucas Giolito this afternoon in Minnesota. The White Sox ace threw a gem against the Twins at Target Field, with eight innings pitched, two hits, one earned run, three walks, and 11 Ks. It was truly a showing of the Giolito of yesteryear.

Besides giving up a few home runs that have plagued his ERA, Giolito actually has been pitching quite well in his last few starts. Today’s effort proved that he is still the Giolito we all love. His pitches were moving all over the strike zone, in the best way possible. His slider had the Twins reaching and changeup had them headed back to their seat in the dugout.

Giolito’s only gaffe came in the bottom of the third inning. Nelson Cruz hit a line-drive home run to center field, making it a 1-0 ballgame. Cruz recorded the only hits for the Twins, with his first, a single to left fielder Jake Lamb, coming in the first inning. Other than that, the Twins offense was silenced.

Liam Hendriks dominated the bottom of the ninth inning, something that both he and Sox fans needed desperately. He struck out two, and got Cruz to fly out to Leury García in center field. He must have remembered his wife’s advice: “Don’t suck.” This is Hendriks’ ninth save of the year.

The White Sox offense was pretty quiet throughout the game. Although Matt Shoemaker took the loss for the Twins, he had a pretty impressive performance. He gave up two runs, five hits, and four walks in six innings pitched. Adam Eaton, Yoán Moncada, and Jake Lamb all collected one hit apiece, and García, who seemed to have Shoemaker’s number, walked away with two. In the top of the fifth inning, García scored on an Eaton infield hit/close play at first. Looks like Spanky’s still got a step or two in his “old age.” García struck again when he singled on a fly ball to left field, scoring Jake Lamb in the top of the sixth inning.

The White Sox take the series against their division rival Twins, thisclose to having made it a second clean sweep in two weeks of their division rivals. It was a weird one, to say the least. The Sox see the Twins again at the end of June — Minny definitely needs some time away from these marauding South Siders.

Chicago has the day off tomorrow to refocus, readjust, and reconnect. They visit the Yankees on Friday in the Big Apple, and are slated for a 6:05 p.m. CT start. Carlos Rodón will take the bump for the Sox, and the Yankees have yet to announce their starter. SSS has Colleen Sullivan on recap coverage, Ashley Sanders on the Six Pack.