Twins' continued success against Sox ace Sale is hard to figure
Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale has a 2.73 ERA against every major-league team but one this season - the Minnesota Twins.
The surprise wild-card contenders from the AL Central have had Sale's number this season, and Minnesota dialed it up again Sunday in a 7-0 victory over the Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sale lasted just 3 innings and allowed 6 runs on 9 hits. His ERA against the Twins this season was 7.36 ERA over 6 starts.
Given the extreme disparity, is it fair to say Minnesota is stealing signs, or is Sale tipping his pitches?
"No, I mean, they just have my number," Sale said. "Sometimes it's not what you want to do, but you just get beat sometimes. I haven't done too much research on if they do or don't, but it's a good team over there. They are in the position they are in for a reason."
Said Twins outfielder Torii Hunter: "I don't know how we hit Sale. I have no idea at all."
Stealing signs or figuring out what pitch is coming is part of the game, and major-league teams have been trying to gain the competitive advantage for decades.
If Minnesota knows what Sale is going to throw, the White Sox haven't been able to figure out how the Twins are doing it.
"No idea," catcher Tyler Flowers said. "We've been looking at some video and stuff and we'll continue to, but I don't know. I feel like he made some really good pitches that got hit hard today. We made mistakes in there, too, but I don't know. A little out of the ordinary.
"Nobody else seems to be able to do it against him, so let's figure it out."
The White Sox and Twins met for the last time Sunday, so Sale has the off-season to think about what went wrong.
"There's no question they've been tough on me all year," he said. "Just figure it out and try to fight my way through it. Luckily we are not facing them anymore this year."
Sale and the rest of the Sox also need to figure out why the first inning has been so awful.
Minnesota jumped out to a 4-0 lead, the White Sox now having been outscored 100-65 in the first inning this year.
Hunter sparked the Twins' early outburst, hitting a 3-run homer in a 10-pitch at-bat.
"It seems like he's getting younger," Sale said of the 40-year-old outfielder. "That's why he is who he is. You know, it's tough. He's a tough at-bat. He's still a great outfielder. He's not an easy out by any means. You just have to bear down there and I can't leave a fastball there for him."
The Sox managed just 5 hits off Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson and two relievers.
"He had super sink going, I know that," Flowers said of Gibson, who went 7⅔ innings. "He seemed to have pretty good command of his changeup-split thing. He was doing a good job working that off his sinker. He threw enough breaking balls in there for strikes.
"Some guys chased them late. He's always been a pretty good pitcher. I think he was definitely on today, though."
Scouting report
White Sox vs. Oakland Athletics at U.S. Cellular Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet today, Tuesday, Thursday; WPWR Wednesday
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Sox' John Danks (7-12) vs. Sonny Gray (13-7) today at 7:10 p.m.; Jeff Samardzija (9-12) vs. Aaron Brooks (1-3) Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.; Erik Johnson (1-0) vs. Jesse Chavez (7-15) Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.; Jose Quintana (9-10) vs. Sean Nolin (1-1) Thursday at 1:10 p.m.
At a glance: The White Sox swept a three-game series at Oakland in mid-May. In his last start, at Kansas City on Sept. 4, Danks got the win, pitching 9 innings and allowing 1 run on 7 hits. The left-hander is 7-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 12 career starts vs. Oakland. The A's added infielder Tyler Ladendorf, a Maine West High School product, to their expanded September roster.
Next: Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, Friday-Sunday
- Scot Gregor