White Sox down Twins, double AL Central lead

[September 15, 2020]  Pinch hitter Adam Engel grounded a go-ahead single to center field in the eighth inning, and Tim Anderson went 3-for-5 with an RBI as the host Chicago White Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Monday night to extend their lead atop the American League Central.

Chicago (31-16) moved two games ahead of second-place Minnesota (30-19) behind a two-run eighth that began with two consecutive walks from Twins left-hander Taylor Rogers (1-4). After he showed bunt on the previous pitch, Engel pulled back his bat and delivered a hit past a charging infield.

Anderson doubled home an insurance run two batters later.

Alex Colome (2-0) worked around Byron Buxton's two-out double in the ninth, recording the final four outs to get the win.

Minnesota stranded 15 runners while Chicago left 12 on base. White Sox pitching issued 10 walks.

Max Kepler had two hits for the Twins while Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez both had a pair of hits for the White Sox.

Chicago's Nick Madrigal delivered the game's first run with a two-strike, two-out RBI single to right field in the second inning.

Chicago kept the lead until the fifth, when the Twins finally struck against White Sox starter Dylan Cease. After holding Minnesota hitless in seven at-bats with men in scoring position through four innings, Cease yielded a game-tying RBI single to Jorge Polanco with two strikes and two outs.

Cease took a no-decision after tossing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He scattered five hits, five walks and four strikeouts while throwing 58 of his 99 pitches for strikes.

Twins counterpart Jose Berrios had a similar line in a no-decision, spacing one run and six hits in five innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Berrios threw 61 of his 93 pitches for strikes.

White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws the ball against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Both bullpens pitched effectively, with both escaping trouble in the sixth inning. After the Twins loaded the bases with two outs against Codi Heuer, Evan Marshall entered the game and struck out designated hitter Nelson Cruz on five pitches.

Chicago had a runner on second with no out in the bottom half but was unable to score. Matt Wisler retired the side following a leadoff walk to Yoan Moncada and a subsequent balk.

Cruz stranded the bases loaded again in the eighth, as Colome induced him to ground out to shortstop after Chicago pitching issued three consecutive walks with two outs.

Minnesota was missing one-third of its regulars. Eddie Rosario (left elbow contusion) and Miguel Sano (neck soreness) remained out with the ailments that forced them to leave Sunday's game while Marwin Gonzalez was scratched before first pitch Monday with a non-COVID-19-related illness.

--Field Level Media

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