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 Thursday was one of those, times as Minnesota got the best of the
lanky lefty, plating nine runs against him in just three innings
during a 12-2 rout at Target Field.
After scoring a run in each the first and second innings, the Twins
jumped all over Sale for seven runs in the third, using three RBI
singles to take the lead before second baseman Brian Dozier'
knockout blow: a three-run homer that made it a 9-2 game.
"We dropped a few bleeders in there, and I felt like he just got
frustrated and tried to throw the ball a little too hard and just
left it over the plate," Dozier said. "Good hitting teams will
capitalize on that.
"But to put up runs like that, against maybe the best left-hander in
the game, that's pretty good."
Sale, who entered the game 7-1 with a 2.37 ERA against Minnesota in
18 career appearances (seven starts), took the loss, dropping to 2-1
on the season.
"I just stunk, really," Sale said. "Leaving pitches up, just was
bad. Bad day, picked a bad day to be pretty bad, too."
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Sale's off-speed stuff wasn't
nearly as effective as it normally is.
"Just didn't have the bite it usually has," Ventura said. "Maybe
location, but also, we didn't help him. We haven't been as sharp
defensively the last couple of days, and anytime you're going to
give them opportunities, you're putting a guy in a bind. It just has
to be better."
After a two-run top of the third tied the game for Chicago,
Minnesota first three batters reached in the bottom half. Catcher
Kurt Suzuki singled to center to score the first run of the barrage.
Two batters later, left fielder Eduardo Escobar knocked in two with
a single to center.
Center fielder Shane Robinson dribbled a single to right to score
Escobar before Dozier's second blast of the season cleared the fence
in left field.
"Our approaches were good, we got (Sale's) pitch count up and we
made him work," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Once we got it
rolling, we were able to put up a big number."
Right-hander Trevor May (2-1) was the beneficiary of the offensive
support. May wasn't great, allowing 10 hits and a walk in 5 2/3
innings, but he limited the damage to two runs. He struck out four.
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"Sometimes you don't have your best stuff, I didn't feel like I had
my swing-and-miss stuff or the command that I've had in the past,"
May said. "Sometimes you just have to do what you can with what you
got. Having a seven-run lead certainly helps you stay with what you
can control and go right after guys."
Twins first baseman Joe Mauer had three hits and knocked in two
runs, raising his average to .318. After a slow start, Mauer is
hitting .333 over the past 12 games with and has eight RBIs over his
past six games.
Dozier finished with two hits, two runs and four RBIs.
"You look over the past week or so even two weeks, we've been
swinging the bats well," Dozier said. "A lot of clutch hitting.
That's what you have to do to win baseball games."
A bloop single by Mauer scored one to give the Twins a 1-0 lead in
the bottom of the first.
Dozier singled home a run in the second before back-to-back RBI
singles by left fielder Melky Cabrera and first baseman Jose Abreu
tied the game for Chicago in the top of the third.
The Twins added to their lead in the eighth on a two-run double by
pinch hitter Chris Herrmann and an RBI single by Mauer.
NOTES: White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez hit second in the lineup and went
2-for-5. Ramirez, who entered the game with a .194 average, is a
.277 career hitter in the No. 2 hole. He spent much of this season
hitting seventh and eighth. ... Twins RHP Casey Fien was placed on
the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder soreness. Minnesota
recalled RHP Michael Tonkin from Triple-A Rochester. ... The White
Sox and Twins play the second game of the four-game series Friday at
Target Field. Chicago LHP Jose Quintana (1-1, 6.55 ERA) faces
Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (1-2, 4.84 ERA).
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