Sox come up short vs. Twins
First baseman Jose Abreu wouldn’t have objected to the front office adding a pitcher before the trade deadline Monday, but the White Sox are ‘‘happy’’ to bring on September with whom they have, he said.
‘‘I can only control what I can control,’’ Abreu said before the Sox lost to the host Twins 3-2 on Tuesday. ‘‘I’m sure the team did a good job trying to pursue more talent to help us.’’
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel would have welcomed some help, too. But he understands why the Sox stood pat.
‘‘Guys would like to see a trade come true, especially when a lot of trades are being made,’’ Keuchel said. ‘‘But do you sacrifice the future of this team for a win now, or do you roll with the team we have?
‘‘Honestly, with Carlos Rodon coming back and Dane Dunning stepping up, we’re in a very good spot.’’
The Sox (22-14) were in a good spot to win their second consecutive game against the Twins after Eloy Jimenez roped a two-run double against Michael Pineda in the first inning to give them an early lead. But the highpowered Sox offense was silent thereafter, managing only four singles in the last eight innings against Pineda and the Twins’ bullpen.
The loss, coupled with the Indians’ victory against the Royals, left the Sox and Indians in a first-place tie in the American League Central. The defending champion Twins snapped a sixgame losing streak and are 1oe games behind.
Abreu dropped a throw from second baseman Nick Madrigal that would have completed a difficult double play started by third baseman Yolmer Sanchez to end the fifth inning without a run. The error, however, allowed Jorge Polanco to score the only run — unearned — against Keuchel in five innings.
Keuchel was feeling the effects from an overnight stomach issue and didn’t have the strength to go past five innings.
The Twins tied the score at 2 in the sixth on a triple by pinch hitter Jake Cave and a double by pinch hitter Luis Arraez against reliever Jimmy Cordero, who now has allowed runs in each of his last three appearances.
Byron Buxton’s RBI single in the seventh against Evan Marshall put the Twins in front 3-2. That run also was charged to Cordero.
Moncada still out
Third baseman Yoan Moncada hit in the cages but missed a third consecutive start with a sore left hamstring.
‘‘There’s an optimistic hope that he’ll be back in there [Wednesday], but I can’t guarantee it,’’ manager Rick Renteria said.
Moncada was not put on the 10-day injured list because ‘‘there’s still an expectation that we can go through this process of trying to isolate and control some of the soreness in his leg — in a good way — that would allow him to come back and be here and play,’’ Renteria said.
This and that
Dylan Cease, Dunning, Lucas Giolito and Keuchel (in order) are the scheduled starters for the series Thursday through Sunday against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Outfielder Nicky Delmonico cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Sox’ training facility in Schaumburg.
Rookie center fielder Luis Robert’s 108.9 mph average exit velocity on his 10 home runs was the highest in the majors among those with a minimum of 10 homers.
Renteria, shortstop Tim Anderson and first-base coach Daryl Boston visited the memorial to George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd died at the hands of police on May 25.
‘‘It was important to go out there,’’ Renteria said.