CHICAGO (AP) — Derek Holland pitched six effective innings, Yolmer Sanchez homered and the Chicago White Sox beat the sloppy Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Thursday night.
Holland (7-13) bounced back nicely from a string of bad outings, yielding one run and three hits in just his second win in two months. The left-hander had allowed 20 runs and 20 hits in 11 innings over his previous five appearances.
Chicago had dropped six of eight before welcoming Minnesota to town for a five-game series. It was a prime opportunity for the contending Twins (65-62) to strengthen their playoff positioning, but the last-place White Sox (50-76) won three times.
Minnesota, which began the day with a half-game lead in the race for the second AL wild card, lost 4-3 on Wednesday night on Tim Anderson’s game-ending RBI single. Pitcher Jose Berrios (11-6) and first baseman Mitch Garver each committed a costly error in the series finale, and the Twins’ lineup was shut down by Holland and three relievers.
White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada and outfielder Leury Garcia have left their game against the Minnesota Twins with injuries.
Moncada, widely regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects, was replaced in the field before the Twins batted in the sixth inning. The team says he has shin splints in his right leg.
It looked as if Moncada’s leg was bothering him after he slid home safely in the fourth.
Garcia was pulled after three innings with back stiffness on his right side. He is day to day. Alen Hanson replaced him in right field on Thursday night.
