Zebby Matthews gave the Twins exactly the kind of lift they needed Sunday, and he did it with authority. Minnesota stopped Chicago 5-1, kept from being swept by the AL Central leaders, and got a career day from the right-hander in the process.
Matthews was in complete control for most of the afternoon, carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning and eventually working 8 1/3 innings, the longest outing of his career. He allowed just five hits, didn’t issue a walk and struck out five while throwing 103 pitches. The lone blemish came when Drew Romo lined a soft single to right with two outs in the sixth to break up both the perfect game and the no-hitter.
The Twins gave him breathing room right away. Trevor Larnach’s two-run double in the first inning opened up a 3-0 lead, and Josh Bell added a pair of RBI singles as Minnesota snapped a four-game skid. Luke Keaschall also homered for the Twins, who entered Sunday 8 1/2 games behind Chicago and four behind Cleveland in the Central and for the third wild card spot.
Matthews finished August 5-0 in five starts, allowing 10 earned runs over 31 innings for a 2.90 ERA. He struck out 24 in the month.
Chicago’s day never really recovered after Jordan Hicks opened the game and was charged with all three runs in the first. Hicks allowed a hit and two walks while recording just two outs as the White Sox opener. The loss snapped Chicago’s four-game winning streak, and the White Sox were shut out for the 10th time this season.
Minnesota also had to adjust before first pitch, placing star center fielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list because of a lingering hip impingement.
The Twins nearly saw Matthews finish the job himself. He was trying for his first career shutout and complete game, but the ninth got messy when Sam Antonacci and Miguel Vargas singled. That brought manager Derek Shelton to Jeff Hoffman, who allowed one of the inherited runners to score.
Up next, the White Sox head to Houston for a four-game series starting Monday, with Chicago LHP Anthony Kay (9-6, 4.09) set to face Astros RHP Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.66). The Twins stay in division play and begin a three-game series against Detroit on Monday in Minnesota, with RHP Taj Bradley (9-6, 3.97) lined up to start against Tigers RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 3.93).
In Other News...
Twins Face A Tough Walker Jenkins Question As Playoff Push Slips
As the Twins tried to keep their playoff push alive, one of the bigger organizational calls in August came down to Walker Jenkins and whether his bat should have been brought up from Triple-A. Jenkins was performing exceptionally well there, and the temptation to accelerate his arrival was obvious for a club looking for any edge it could find. Instead, Minnesota chose to keep him in the minors, with development and consistent playing time taking priority over an immediate jump to the majors.
The debate now is less about Jenkins talent than about timing, because the Twins did make other moves to try to improve the roster while the standings tightened. Still, leaving a premium prospect in Triple-A while the postseason chase got harder naturally invites second-guessing, especially when the lineup could have used another spark. It is the kind of decision that can look prudent in the long term and frustrating in the moment, which is exactly where this one sits for Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Jenkins May Have Just Solved A Twins Outfield Problem
Walker Jenkins arrival gives the Twins a cleaner look in the outfield at a time when they could use one. Minnesota has promoted its top prospect, and the move immediately shifts Luke Keaschall out of center field, where the defensive growing pains have been obvious, and toward right field, where he has looked more comfortable. With Byron Buxton still day-to-day because of a hip issue, Jenkins has even stepped into center while the veteran gets a breather, giving the Twins a chance to reshuffle without forcing Keaschall into a job that has not fit well.
For Minnesota, the appeal goes beyond one temporary lineup card. Keaschalls bat remains part of the equation, but the Twins have been searching for a way to maximize him without exposing him in center, and Jenkins presence suddenly makes that easier to manage. Whether this is a short-term fix while Buxton heals or the beginning of a longer-term alignment, it is the kind of roster answer that can matter quickly for a team trying to keep its season moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Suddenly Have A Late-Game Problem They Can't Afford
The Twins have spent much of this stretch playing from behind, and the late innings have started to feel like the part of the game where their offense simply stops carrying over. Minnesota has lost four straight and slipped to a season-low eight games below .500, a slide that has left the club staring at postseason odds of just 5.0 percent. It is one thing to have a bad week in the standings, but it is another when the teams most troubling trend is becoming easier to spot by the inning.
Since the fifth, the Twins have not done enough damage against bullpens, with their late-game production lagging well behind league norms in slugging and home runs. That is a rough place to be for a lineup already operating without Byron Buxton, whose hip injury has taken an obvious bite out of the offense and whose return remains up in the air. For a team trying to stay in the race, the problem is not just scoring less, but running out of answers exactly when games tend to turn. [Read more 🡒]