Cruz homers twice as Twins pound White Sox

[July 27, 2020]  Nelson Cruz went 4-for-5 with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBIs and Jake Cave drilled a first-inning grand slam to power the Minnesota Twins to a 14-2 victory against the host Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon.

Minnesota erupted for nine runs in the first two innings, providing plenty of support for right-hander Kenta Maeda in his team debut. Maeda (1-0) held Chicago to two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings as the Twins earned a 2-1 series win to close the season's opening weekend.

White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez exited after facing seven-plus batters and recording just two outs, walking off the field with the training staff alongside. Two men were out with the bases empty before Lopez (0-1) issued a pair of walks around a Cruz double. That brought up Cave, whose opposite-field grand slam sent Chicago left fielder Eloy Jimenez slamming into the wall in pursuit.

Jimenez lay on his back on the warning track for a few minutes before getting attention from trainers. He left the game in the second inning.

Veteran left-hander Gio Gonzalez struggled for Chicago in his club debut, following Lopez with 3 2/3 innings of six-run, seven-hit relief with one walk and three strikeouts. Drafted by the White Sox in 2004, Gonzalez was twice traded from the organization, but signed as a free agent this offseason to bolster the pitching staff.

Rookie center fielder Luis Robert put the White Sox on the board with his first major league home run, a two-run shot to center field in the fifth. Adam Engel, who entered the game for Jimenez, doubled twice and had three hits for Chicago.

White Sox starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (40) delivers against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Jorge Polanco, Luis Arraez and Marwin Gonzalez added two hits apiece for Minnesota. Gonzalez capped the scoring with a solo home run against Kelvin Herrera in the ninth. Cruz, who turned 40 on July 1, scored four runs.

Led by 2 2/3 innings of one-hit relief from Lewis Thorpe, the Twins' bullpen also limited Chicago, which was outhit 13-6. Thorpe left the game after being hit in the left leg by a batted ball.

The winning team scored at least 10 runs in each game of the series.

--Field Level Media

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