White Sox at Twins
The Minnesota Twins erupted for their biggest inning of 2018 but still needed some late heroics to keep their season series unbeaten streak intact. Max Kepler delivered a walk-off homer in the ninth inning after Minnesota blew a seven-run lead Wednesday to give the Twins momentum heading into Thursday's opener of a four-game series versus the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Kepler also homered during an eight-run fourth inning for Minnesota, which started its nine-game homestand by taking two of three from reigning World Series champion Houston. "We’re ready to play any team," Kepler said after the Twins improved to 6-4 on the season. "It doesn’t matter who it is." Chicago, which was off to its worst start at home since 1975, also needed some late-inning thunder to avoid opening the season with six consecutive losses at Guaranteed Rate Field. Five outs away from being swept by Tampa Bay, Matt Davidson belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the White Sox to a 2-1 victory.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (0-1, 6.17 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jose Berrios (1-1, 3.29)
Giolito yielded only four hits in each of his first two starts, but he is killing himself with his lack of control, walking seven batters and hitting four more. The 23-year-old Californian followed a quality start in his season debut by plunking three batters and allowing five runs in 5 2/3 innings in a loss at Detroit. Giolito surrendered three homers in a loss to Chicago in his Twins debut in August 2017.
Berrios had nowhere to go but down in his last start after a superb performance in his season debut, when he tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout in a 7-0 win at Baltimore. He failed to get through the fifth inning last time out at Seattle, giving up five runs on six hits while striking out seven. Berrios was 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA in three starts versus Chicago last year, striking out 28 in 20 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins 2B Brian Dozier has hit safely in all 10 games to start the season.
2. Davidson is the first White Sox player with at least five homers in the first 11 games since Carlos Quentin (six) in 2009.
3. Twins DH Joe Mauer takes a nine-game hitting streak into the series against Chicago.