The White Sox offense popped off for the second night in a row, mashing 12 runs on 13 hits with four home runs. They went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position and defeated the Twins, 12-3, for their third consecutive win. Andrew Benintendi was the star of the show Tuesday, providing plenty of run support for Davis Martin on his own as he went 4-for-5 with two round trippers, five RBIs, and three runs — and he also accounted for an outfield assist in the fourth. There were also plenty of positives
with the rest of the young guys, as Kyle Teel, Brooks Baldwin, and Colson Montgomery all reached base several times, and though Martin wasn’t on his A-game, he was effective and did his job while securing his sixth win of the season (6-9).
Setting what felt like a negative tone to start the game, the Twins jumped on Davis Martin right out of the gate as Byron Buxton launched a 103 mph triple to left to immediately put a runner in scoring position. It came back to bite them as Trevor Larnach smoked a base hit up the middle to drive in the first run, though Davis was able to recover and secure the next three outs without any further damage.
In the second inning, Minnesota took advantage of a walk from Martin, and Mickey Gasper then stole second — originally recorded as an out, but overturned on a challenge to place another runner into scoring position. They certainly capitalized on this as well, and Ryan Fitzgerald drove Gasper in on a fastball that Davis left hanging way too close to the middle of the plate. 2-1, Twins.
Simeon Woods Richardson didn’t really have the same troubles as Martin, and pretty much cruised through the first three frames, outside of Andrew Benintendi mashing a 398-foot homer in the second inning to serve Woods Richardson his first hit of the night and tie the game at one. He also walked two White Sox batters, but was otherwise in control as he struck out five in comparison.
Martin finally was able to shut things down in the third, retiring the Twins in order for his first 1-2-3 inning. Into the fourth, however, Minnesota added another run to put them up 3-1 on the White Sox. With how chaotic the inning was, it’s a miracle he made it out with just one run scoring. A pair of singles from Kody Clemens and Austin Martin got things started, putting two runners on. Davis then took James Outman to a full count, but ended up balking to advance the runners before loading the bases with the next pitch. Gasper sent a fly ball out to left that Benintendi caught for an out, and Bryan Ramos was smart to cut off the throw at third to catch Austin Martin in the middle of the base path to get the second out, and thankfully, Davis was able to get the final out.
Chicago struck back in the top of the fifth, and Brooks Baldwin and Will Robertson reached on a walk and a fielder’s choice-turned-error to put runners on the corners with no outs. In his first game of the season, Bryan Ramos got hold of one and ripped a line drive off the right field wall that scored both runs to tie the game up at three. After a solid defensive play the inning prior, it’s great to see him performing well on both sides of the ball.
Woods Richardson was able to maneuver out of the inning after the Ramos double, forcing the South Siders down in order. Tauchman grounded out to first, moving Ramos to third with just one out, but both Kyle Teel and Lenyn Sosa struck out, assisting the Twins out of the jam. Woods Richardson’s day would end there: three runs (just two earned) on two hits, a home run, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
His replacement didn’t do that much better in the sixth, however, as Thomas Hatch walked Colson Montgomery to begin the frame, and the Minnesota defense botched a play that led to the Sox getting runners on second and third with nobody out. Benintendi drove in his second run of the night on his second hit to take a one-run lead, and Baldwin tacked on one more with a base hit, 5-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, Martin walked one final batter — his third of the game — but ultimately finished his six frames with three runs allowed on six hits while striking out four. He did struggle with his control again while still walking a bunch of batters, but the offense had his back today, hopefully ready to lock in and snag the win for Davis.
While Martin kept the Twins offense silent after the fourth, the South Siders kept putting their foot on the gas and went on another rally in the top of the seventh. Teel and Lenyn Sosa blasted back-to-back jacks to start the inning, and Curtis Mead re-started the rally with a slow-rolling infield single. Benintendi dished his third hit of the night, and Baldwin sent a flare out to right that loaded the bases up for the Good Guys.
Battling to a 3-1 count, Robertson’s bat broke when he made contact, but the ball died and landed in no-man’s land behind second base, scoring two more runs. Benintendi read the ball perfectly and was nearly right behind Mead while coming in to score, 9-3. A six-run lead was looking mighty fine with the win still in Martin’s hands.
Bryan Hudson was recalled from Charlotte earlier today, and he came out for the seventh in relief of Martin and was solid and efficient. He forced a groundout to start the inning and struck out Buxton for two quick outs, but Larnach had to be a nuisance and hit a double, just for Brooks Lee to strike out and end the threat. One inning, one hit, two strikeouts — definitely not a bad day in my book!
The White Sox held the lead into the eighth, and Teel reached base once again, this time getting hit by a pitch, and Montgomery moved him over with a base hit, putting Teel in scoring position with Benintendi coming up to the plate with two outs. Benintendi had already been on a tear in this game, but he launched his second bomb of the night — a three-run shot out to right center to give Chicago a nine-run lead, 12-3.
In the ninth, the South Siders quickly batted through two outs as Bryan Ramos struck out on a wonky check-swing, dropped-third-strike situation. Tim Elko pinch-hit for Tauchman, and though he hit it hard, the pitcher Brooks Kriske made one of the best plays I’ve seen in some time — catching the ball essentially behind his back after bouncing through his legs to easily toss it to first for the second out. Kriske walked the next two batters to make things interesting once again, but Montgomery struck out to end the inning after working to a full count.
The bullpen kept up the good work in the second half of the frame as Bryse Wilson rejoined the squad earlier today as well, not having pitched in the big leagues since early June. He handled the eighth gracefully and shut Minnesota down in order, including a strikeout to end the inning. Wilson was out again for the ninth to close things out, and he did so with ease, sitting the Twins down in order to finish the game and seal a perfect six-up-six down performance along with the win for Martin.