White Sox at Twins
Despite a disastrous start to the season, the Minnesota Twins have a chance to reach the .500 mark for the first time when they host the Chicago White Sox on Saturday afternoon in the third of a four-game series. The Twins stumbled out of the gate 1-6, dropping two of three in Chicago, but have turned things around with five wins in their last seven games.
Minnesota pounded White Sox ace Chris Sale en route to a 12-2 romp in the series opener before receiving eight scoreless innings from Kyle Gibson in Friday's 1-0 victory. Twins designated hitter Kennys Vargas, benched last week while mired in a 2-for-28 slump, had two hits for the second time in three games and scored the winning run Friday on a wild pitch. Chicago has seen its offense disappear following consecutive postponements in Baltimore, pushing across only four runs during its three-game skid. The White Sox have dropped four straight away from home to fall to an American League-worst 2-9 on the road.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Hector Noesi (0-2, 5.23 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (0-1, 18.00)
Noesi is pitching on 10 days' rest after his last start was delayed due to the riots in Baltimore that forced the postponement of a pair of games last week. The 28-year-old Dominican gave up four runs and a pair of homers over 5 2/3 innings versus Cleveland on April 21 and lasted only 4 2/3 innings in his season debut, giving up two runs while walking six. He is 2-2 with a 4.32 ERA against Minnesota.
Nolasco is coming off the 15-day disabled list to make his second start of the season. He was rocked at Detroit on April 8, giving up six runs on six hits while walking four in three-plus innings and landed on the DL after reporting soreness in his pitching elbow. Nolasco, who is 0-2 with a 5.92 ERA in four starts against the White Sox, threw 66 pitches in a rehab start at Single-A Cedar Rapids on Sunday.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins placed RHP Tim Stauffer on the 15-day disabled list and recalled up RHP Ryan Pressy from Triple-A Rochester. LHP Brian Duensing is expected to come off the DL Saturday.
2. White Sox RF Avisail Garcia is riding a seven-game hitting streak.
3. Noesi surrendered 27 homers in 28 appearances (27 starts) with Chicago last season.