The Associated Press
Matt Carlson
CHICAGO–After giving the Minnesota Twins a chance to come back in the opener, Jorge Polanco immediately drove them in the right direction during the nightcap.
Polanco hit his second three-run homer of the day as the Twins scored six times in the second inning en route to a 10-2 rout of the Chicago White Sox to split a doubleheader yesterday.
Brian Dozier added a three-run drive off Carson Fulmer during the rally as Minnesota bounced back from a 7-6 loss in the opener.
Byron Buxton and Jason Castro each added a solo shot for the Twins, who now have won five-of-six.
They are a half-game ahead of the L.A. Angels for the second AL wild card.
Polanco, who has five homers, hit a three-run shot off Derek Holland in the eighth inning of the opener to cut Minnesota’s deficit to 7-6.
In homering for the first time in back-to-back games, Polanco did it in consecutive at-bats–and from both sides of the plate.
He went deep right-handed against Holland and then left-handed versus Fulmer.
“Polanco gave us life in the second game,” said Twins’ manager Paul Molitor. “He got us going.
“And they weren’t cheapies,” he stressed. “He got a hold of both of them.”
Dillon Gee (1-0) retired the first 12 Chicago batters before rookie Nicky Delmonico homered leading off the fifth.
Gee allowed only two hits and walked none through six innings while striking out four.
“It was a long day for these guys,” he noted. “When they gave me a six-run lead, I just want to get it [over] as fast as possible.
“I was just trying to be aggressive after that and just fill up the zone, and not walk guys and make it quick,” Gee added.
Adam Engel hit a solo shot in the ninth off Tyler Duffey, who followed Gee with three innings to earn his first save.
Gee was signed by Minnesota as a minor-league free agent back on June 22.
The right-hander had made his previous start for Texas on June 6 against the N.Y. Mets before being designated for assignment by the Rangers.
He made his Twins’ debut Aug. 3.
Fulmer (0-1), who was recalled for the start and made his 2017 White Sox debut, gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings on four hits and three walks.
“They were on every pitch he was throwing,” said Chicago manager Rick Renteria.
“It didn’t matter if it was a fastball or breaking ball, they were on time.”
In the first game, Yolmer Sanchez homered and drove in four runs, Jose Abreu hit his 25th of the season, and the White Sox held on.
Carlos Rodon (2-4) pitched effectively into seventh inning for the fifth-straight outing to earn his first win since July 3.
The left-hander allowed two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings while striking out nine.
“Another nice outing, going deep into the game,” Renteria noted.
“We extended his pitch count a little more [to 115], but he was actually looking stronger at the end.”
Juan Minaya worked a perfect ninth for his third save after Holland, who has struggled in 24 starts this season, was charged with three runs in one-third of an inning during his second relief appearance.
“Not the kind of excitement you’re looking for,” Renteria said.
“But Minaya did a nice job to finish off for us.”
Tim Melville (0-1) lasted just 3 1/3 innings and allowed five runs in his Twins’ debut after being recalled from ‘AAA’ Rochester to start.
In the nightcap, Dylan Covey replaced Fulmer and allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Elsewhere in the AL, Baltimore beat Oakland 7-3, Cleveland edged Boston 5-4, and Texas downed L.A. 5-3.
Over in then NL, L.A. beat Pittsburgh 6-5 (12 innings), Arizona edged New York 3-2 (10 innings), and San Francisco blanked Milwaukee 2-0.
Seattle topped Atlanta 6-5 in interleague play.
