Chicago White Sox miss some prime opportunities — going 1-for-16 with RISP — in a 7-3, 12-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins
Chicago White Sox third baseman Hanser Alberto got hit by a pitch on the right arm on a 1-2 count with the bases loaded in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins.
But instead of the Sox celebrating a walk-off victory, the inning continued as umpires ruled Alberto swung and thus struck out.
“Bro, I didn’t mean to swing,” Alberto said. “I knew it was a fastball (coming from reliever Brock Stewart) because after two sliders I said, ‘OK, maybe (a) fastball’s coming’ and I was ready. I meant to get away but I didn’t know how to get away. The ball got right on me. But it’s part of the game. It’s tough.
“(The swing) was a reflex. (It) should be a hit by a pitch and win the ballgame right there. But it’s going to happen and it is what it is.”
The Sox had ample opportunities to complete a three-game sweep Thursday. Instead, the Twins finally broke through with five runs in the 12th to take the finale of the three-game series 7-3 in front of 14,650 on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“We had some good hitters at the plate,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man. Every single day, hitting is tough. I thought they were prepared to go hit, but it was just one of those days. It didn’t happen.”
The Sox were 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position. They left a season-high 14 runners on base.
“We got so many opportunities,” Alberto said. “The pitchers, the bullpen did a really good job to keep the game there and give us a lot of chance to win the game.”
The Twins didn’t have much success coming through with runners in scoring position either, going 2-for-13. The two came in the 12th.
The one hit with runners in scoring position for the Sox also came in the 12th, an RBI single from Eloy Jiménez. The designated hitter drove in three and extended his hitting streak to seven. Jiménez’s two-run homer in the third gave the Sox a 2-0.
Carlos Correa homered in the sixth to cut the lead in half. It was the only run allowed by Sox starter Lucas Giolito, who surrendered two hits while striking out seven and walking three in seven innings.
“I didn’t feel super explosive, but my fastball had good life on it,” Giolito said. “(Catcher) Seby (Zavala) did a great job recognizing what the hitters were looking for. It looked like they were trying to hit my changeup. That’s kind of been the theme this year, so we threw a lot of sliders.
“Slider was working well, so a lot of fastball-slider combo and was able to get through the lineup a few times.”
The Twins tied it in the eighth on Byron Buxton’s homer against Reynaldo López.
Billy Hamilton reached third base with no outs in the eighth, but the Sox did not score. The Sox had runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth and again came up empty.
“I felt they had a good approach, they took good swings,” Grifol said. “It just didn’t happen.”
They loaded the bases with one out in the 10th, with the Alberto strikeout and Elvis Andrus also fanning.
The Twins busted the game open in the 12th, which featured a run scoring on a fielding error from shortstop Tim Anderson, an RBI double from Nick Gordon, a Correa walk with the bases loaded and a two-run single from Jorge Polanco.
Despite the setback, the Sox (10-22) saw positives while taking two of three for their first series win of the season.
“This series was definitely a step in the right direction,” Giolito said. “I would have liked to have had this game. I felt like we were right there. It always stings a little bit when you lose one like this. That’s how it goes.
“I like seeing us winning a series. I want to see a lot more of that. Maybe mix in some sweeps and then we’re right back in it. I like the trajectory we’re on. I like where the clubhouse is at. We’re having fun. It’s just a matter of continuing to put those things together.”
Sox place Jake Burger on the IL
The Sox were without the team leader in home runs Thursday after placing infielder Burger on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique.
“There was some soreness there in the side,” Grifol said. “That area’s a little difficult.”
Burger suffered the injury during a fourth-inning at-bat in Wednesday’s 6-4 victory against the Twins.
“It was just a freak thing,” Burger said after Wednesday’s game. “I was talking to the training staff after it happened. Sometimes freak things happen. Obviously it was a weird pitch and a weird swing.”
Burger has a .224/.312/.612 slash line with five doubles, seven home runs and 14 RBIs in 23 games.
The Sox recalled infielder Lenyn Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte. He hit .151 (8-for-53) with one homer, three RBIs and three runs in 16 games with the Sox from April 11-30 before being optioned to Charlotte on Tuesday. He went 0-for-4 Thursday.
Alberto and Sosa are expected to see time at third. Starting third baseman Yoán Moncada (lower back soreness) will likely begin a rehab assignment this weekend.
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