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 The Twins stymied Sale's bid for baseball history, getting a solid
pitching performance of their own from Phil Hughes as Minnesota beat
Chicago 6-1 on Wednesday at Target Field.
Hughes allowed six hits and walked none, giving up a home run to
Chicago designated hitter Adam LaRoche to lead off the second inning
with a blast over the right-field wall.
It was the second straight start in which Hughes (6-6) pitched eight
innings and gave up one run, and it was his fourth consecutive
quality start.
"I made some pretty good pitches with everything. It wasn't one
particular thing that was working better than others," Hughes said.
"I threw my curveball well when I had to, mixed my fastball around
the zone and threw some cutters. I had a strategy with (catcher
Kurt) Suzuki and we worked it well."
Sale was attempting to become the first pitcher to strike out at
least 12 batters in six consecutive games.
Early on, he appeared primed to sail into the history books.
Sale fanned one in the first and two in the second before striking
out the side in the third. But the Twins got to Sale with three runs
in the fourth. A leadoff double from second baseman Brian Dozier, an
RBI double from right fielder Torii Hunter and a double by shortstop
Eduardo Nunez gave Minnesota the lead. Suzuki's sacrifice fly made
it 3-1.
Sale failed to get a strikeout in the fourth, snapping his streak of
38 innings with at least one -- one short of former Twin Johan
Santana's mark of 39 in 2002.
"(Getting into the record books) is a lot cooler to other people
than it is to me," Sale said. "I appreciate it and it's cool to toss
around, but it'd be a lot better if we were winning more games.
"I don't think about (setting records). I've got one job to do and
that's to give up as little runs as I can and I didn't quite do that
today."
The Twins tacked on three runs in the seventh, driving Sale from the
game two strikeouts short of history. Sale (6-4) took the loss,
allowing six runs (five earned), eight hits and a walk in 6 2/3
innings.
"They do a good job of staying with it," White Sox manager Robin
Ventura said. "Once they get some guys on, they're able to find some
holes. Chris had two tough innings and other than that, he pitched
well. These guys find a way to get it done when they have guys on
base."
Sale dropped to 1-3 with a 6.85 ERA in four starts against the Twins
this season. He is 5-1 with a 1.88 ERA against everyone else.
"He's one of the most talented guys you're going to see all year
long," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "The fact that we've been
able to get some runs on the board against him each of the last
couple of times we've faced him, it just gives you the feeling that
if you grind it out, you might have a chance to find a way."
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With the Twins clinging to a 3-1 lead, left fielder Shane Robinson
singled to left center to score a run. A misplay by White Sox center
fielder Adam Eaton allowed another run. Two batters later, Dozier
singled to left, scoring Robinson to make it 6-1.
"With Sale, or with anybody, you want to keep putting the pressure
on them, keep putting them on their heels and keep scoring runs,"
Suzuki said. "Especially with that offense, they can break out at
any time. They've got a lot of big boppers in that lineup."
Robinson, Dozier and Suzuki each had two hits and drove in a run.
Minnesota improved its record to 9-4 against the White Sox this
season and have won three consecutive series against Chicago after
losing two of three games at U.S. Cellular Field during the regular
season's first week. The Twins have outscored the White Sox by a
margin of 78-35, including 52-17 at Target Field.
NOTES: White Sox LHP Chris Sale failed to become the first pitcher
in history to strike out at least 12 players in six consecutive
games. He finished Wednesday's game with 10. ... Twins OF Aaron
Hicks is set to depart for a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A
Rochester on Friday. Hicks has been out since June 14 with a sore
right forearm/elbow. Twins RHP Michael Tonkin was optioned to
Triple-A Rochester after the game. Tonkin is 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA in
16 appearances with the Twins this season. A corresponding roster
move will be made before Friday's game. ... Chicago continues its
trip with a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica
Park beginning Thursday. ... Minnesota hits the road for an
interleague series beginning Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers at
Miller Park.
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