Preview: White Sox at Twins

[June 20, 2017]  The Minnesota Twins watched their lead in the American League Central disappear while dropping four straight over the weekend to the Cleveland Indians. The Twins will try to turn things around ahead of another showdown with Cleveland next weekend when they host the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Minnesota was outscored 28-8 in dropping four straight to the Indians over the weekend and is 2-6 on its 11-game homestand. "You let four games go to your chief competitor and somehow you have to get past it and learn from it," Twins manager Paul Molitor told reporters. "I don't know if you want to use it as a measuring stick, but hopefully the guys learn what it takes to go out there, and hopefully we're better for it." The White Sox are winners of five of their last seven games but missed out on a chance to sweep the Toronto Blue Jays when they dropped a 7-3 decision on Sunday. The Twins will try to stop the bleeding behind ace Ervin Santana while the White Sox counter with lefty Derek Holland.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Derek Holland (5-6, 3.79 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (8-4, 2.56)

Holland snapped a three-start losing streak last Tuesday by holding the Baltimore Orioles to one run on eight hits and two walks in six innings. The 30-year-old was lit up for 14 runs and 17 hits in a combined seven innings over his first two June outings. Holland was not at his best against Minnesota on May 11, when he was charged with seven runs - three earned - on six hits and four walks in five innings to absorb the loss.

Santana sandwiched two poor starts around a shutout in his last three turns and is searching for the consistency that made him the best pitcher in the AL over the first six weeks. The Dominican Republic native was charged with five runs on nine hits and a walk in five innings against Seattle on Wednesday. Santana breezed through two starts against the White Sox in April, surrendering a total of three hits in 15 scoreless innings en route to two wins.

WALK-OFFS

1. The White Sox placed OF Leury Garcia (finger) on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Friday.

2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is 5-for-30 with nine strikeouts in his last nine games.

3. Chicago LHP Carlos Rodon (biceps) is expected to make one more rehab start this week before returning to the rotation.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, White Sox 1

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