Automatic runner Willi Castro scored from second base on a walk-off bunt single in the 10th inning as the Minnesota Twins snapped a two-game losing skid with a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Chicago White Sox had tied the game in the ninth on Luis Robert Jr.’s solo homer.
In the bottom of the 10th, Castro moved to third on Michael A. Taylor’s leadoff bunt single, then came home on an errant throw by third baseman Hanser Alberto on the play.
Griffin Jax (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Jesse Scholtens (0-1) took the loss.
Taylor and Byron Buxton homered for Minnesota, which saw Chicago tie the game when Robert deposited Jhoan Duran’s first-pitch curveball in the bottom of the ninth for a 400-foot homer to center.
Minnesota’s second walk-off victory of the season followed a stellar outing by starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, who settled in after giving up two runs in the first inning and ended his outing by retiring 23 consecutive batters.
Lopez pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Chicago’s first three batters of the game reached base before Andrew Vaughn doubled home two runs. Lopez then retired the next three batters to escape further damage.
Buxton evened the score in the bottom of the first with his 100th career homer, a two-run shot to left-center field against Lance Lynn.
Minnesota broke the tie with two outs in the second when Taylor snapped an 0-for-13 streak with a solo homer to center.
Lynn yielded three runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out 10 with no walks. The outing marked Lynn’s 23rd career game with 10-plus strikeouts.
Lopez, who was making his home debut after being acquired from the Miami Marlins during the offseason, struck out the last four batters he faced before turning it over to reliever Caleb Thielbar.
Donovan Solano, Nick Gordon and Taylor each had two hits for Minnesota, which evened the three-game series after losing 4-3 on Monday. Twins left fielder Trevor Larnach singled in the fifth inning and has reached base in a career-best 11 straight games.
–Field Level Media
