Chicago White Sox fail to measure up to first-place Twins

Before the Chicago White Sox can get to the level of the Twins, they have some work to do.

And they have to be patient before more top prospects such as Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal and Andrew Vaughn arrive and gain experience.

In the meantime, how do the Sox hang with first-place teams?

"As we continue to move forward, we continue to look for execution," manager Rick Renteria said. "If you can execute, if you can hit your spots, if your plan of attack is good, you have a chance to minimize damage. And we have to play clean baseball and take advantage of any opportunities we may get."

The Sox checked very few of those boxes Wednesday night against Minnesota, which has been leading the AL Central since April 20. The White Sox lost 8-2.

Ross Detwiler started for the Sox and was hit hard, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 4 innings. "I was good here and there," Detwiler said. "I made some mistakes and I paid for those mistakes."

Minnesota has one of the best offenses in baseball, and the Twins hit 3 more home runs to up their season total to 258, the most in baseball. But some shaky fielding by shortstop Tim Anderson hurt the White Sox.

Anderson made his 24th error of the season in the third inning. In the second, he failed make a catch in short center field after running off Leury Garcia.

While he has the most errors in the major leagues, Anderson also has Renteria's support.

"Obviously, today was not a very good day for Timmy," Renteria said. "He's a tremendously athletic shortstop with tremendous range. He has a keen knack to make plays deep in the six hole, behind third base. He will get to more balls than most shortstops and at times might, because of his range, create an errant throw here and there. But he will save you more times than not."

Fall ball:

The White Sox are sending six players to the Arizona Fall League, including two of their top hitting prospects.

Outfielder Blake Rutherford will be on the Glendale Desert Dogs roster, as will first baseman Gavin Sheets.

Ranked as the Sox's No. 8 prospect by Baseball America, Rutherford is batting .259 with 7 home runs and 47 RBI during a disappointing season for Class AA Birmingham.

Sheets, rated No. 14, is batting .275 with 16 homers and 81 RBI for Birmingham.

The White Sox also are sending left-handed pitchers Bernardo Flores and Bennett Sousa and right-handers Tyler Johnson and Vince Arobio to the AFL.

Fulmer returns:

Out since Aug. 3 with a strained hamstring, Carson Fulmer was back with Class AAA Charlotte on Wednesday on a rehab assignment.

Fulmer, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2015 draft, pitched one-third of an inning against Durham and took the loss after giving up 2 runs on 1 hit and 2 walks.

In 14 games (1 start) for the Sox this season, Fulmer is 1-1 with a 5.30 ERA.