Anderson lightens Chicago White Sox's loss to Twins
Weather wise, it was a near perfect night for baseball.
And the crowd of 23,765 was decent for early May.
As for the actual game, it was pretty much Tim Anderson and not much else for the Chicago White Sox.
In an 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins, Anderson connected on a pair of home runs. The Sox's shortstop hit solo shots in the seventh and ninth innings, giving him 6 for the season.
"It's baseball, and you've got to learn from it," Anderson said. "I learned a lot from it last year. It's just a game. I just go out and have fun and when it's not going well, just continue to go."
Anderson, who also doubled leading off the fifth inning, is having a good time this year, and his carefree style already has angered veterans Justin Verlander and Salvador Perez.
"We have to continue to play and keep having fun," Anderson said.
Making his second start of the season, Hector Santiago lasted just 3⅓ innings and allowed 8 runs on 6 hits and 6 walks.
"I felt really good," he said. "Probably felt too good. I pulled a lot of fastballs, which is weird for me because usually if I miss then I'm missing up and away or up and in to a lefty. I was trying to figure out which way to go, trying to make that adjustment, and I just kind of never figured that out."
Moncada to DL:
A day after saying "I can't play my game" due to tightness in his left hamstring, White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada landed on the 10-day disabled list Saturday.
Moncada was pulled from Friday night's game against the Twins with the nagging injury. He had an MRI that came back clean, according to manager Rick Renteria.
"Nothing there," Renteria said. "That's good for us. We're just going to see if we can give him some time to strengthen, recover, see if we can get to the crux of what's going on."
The Sox recalled Jose Rondon from Class AAA Charlotte to replace Moncada. The 22-year-old infielder was batting .286 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI in 24 games with the Knights.
Acquired from the Padres on Jan. 10 for cash considerations, Rondon played in eight games with San Diego in 2016 and was 3-for-25 (.120) with 1 RBI. He pinch hit in the ninth inning Saturday and lined out to third base in a 12 pitch at-bat.
"I'm excited, but I'm not as nervous as I was the first time," Rondon said. "I think right now I know what to expect and what to do. The first time it was all new for me."
Sing a song:
On the disabled list with rotator cuff inflammation, White Sox starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez found a way to get on the field Saturday.
At the urging of manager Rick Renteria, Gonzalez celebrated Cinco de Mayo by singing with the Mariachi Heritage Foundation during a pregame soundcheck.
"I didn't know what I was doing," Gonzalez said. "I didn't want to do it at first, I was pretty shy about it. But after I got loose, after the first song, I was good to go. My dad sang. I listened when I was little, and I've been doing it ever since but never like practiced. I just enjoy it."
Show of thanks:
Sunday is Nurses Appreciation Day at Guaranteed Rate Field, and the Sox are providing tickets for Rush University Medical Center nurses and staff who have cared for relief pitcher Danny Farquhar.
During an April 20 game against the Houston Astros, Farquhar suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm. He had surgery the next day and still is recovering at Rush.