White Sox at Twins
The Minnesota Twins have been one of the hottest teams in the majors in August and look to close the month in style when they conclude a three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon. Minnesota won the first two games of the series by a cumulative 17-5 score to improve its record to 19-10 this month.
Eddie Rosario hit two homers and Brian Dozier recorded four hits as the Twins posted an 11-1 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday as the club remains in possession of the American League's second wild-card spot. Ehire Adrianza tripled twice while going 3-for-5 with four RBIs and Mitch Garver notched three hits while scoring three times as part of a 16-hit assault. The White Sox have lost 18 of their last 22 road contests and given up 43 runs in the past four defeats. Chicago All-Star Avisail Garcia went 3-for-4 on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to seven games and his .433 average this month has raised his season mark to .324, which ranks second in the AL.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Chicago, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Miguel Gonzalez (7-10, 4.30 ERA) vs. Twins RH Bartolo Colon (6-10, 6.35)
Gonzalez is in the midst of a superb four-start stretch during which he is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA. The 33-year-old has struggled on the road, however, as he has posted a 3-7 record and 5.29 ERA in 12 outings. Gonzalez is 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA in five career starts versus the Twins, including a victory on April 8 in which he gave up two runs and seven hits over six innings.
Colon has won two consecutive starts and four of his last five in a strong rebound from his troubles with Atlanta earlier this season. The 44-year-old went 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts with the Braves but is 4-2 with a 4.04 ERA in eight turns with the Twins while providing the team with some much-needed solid starting pitching. Colon is 11-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 23 career starts against the White Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dozier, who is batting .321 with nine homers and 22 RBIs in August, is 6-for-14 versus Gonzalez.
2. Chicago 3B Matt Davidson has struck out six times in seven hitless at-bats over the first two games of the series.
3. Adrianza went 3-for-27 this month prior to Wednesday's big showing.