More controversy in White Sox's loss to Twins
It doesn't look like much of a rivalry between the White Sox and Twins this season, and a quick check of the respective records verifies that hunch.
Heading into Tuesday night's game at Target Field the Sox were 25-15, making them the best team in baseball.
At 13-26, Minnesota was the worst team.
The White Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead Tuesday after Yasmani Grandal hit a 2-run homer in the third inning, but the Twins rallied back on 3 Miguel Sano home runs.
With the game tied at 4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Minnesota won it on Jorge Polanco's RBI single off Sox closer Liam Hendriks.
The White Sox easily won their first four games vs. the Twins this season, but there is still some bad blood between the two AL Central entrants.
Yermin Mercedes' decision to swing on a 3-0 pitch from position player Willians Astudillo late in Monday night's 16-4 blowout immediately pitted baseball's old school against the new.
Mercedes homered on a laughable 47-mph "fastball" from Astudillo, but Sox manager Tony La Russa didn't think it was funny and he called out his player for not respecting the game.
La Russa was also worried about a White Sox player getting hit by a pitch and hurt Tuesday - namely Mercedes.
"I actually apologized to the Twins," La Russa said. "I sent a message over there, saying that it's not acceptable. They know that I was really upset with it. It shouldn't have happened. I hope it's enough."
Apparently, it wasn't.
Mercedes singled in his first at-bat and struck out the next two times up before nearly being hit by Minnesota relief pitcher Tyler Duffey in the seventh inning.
Obviously aiming at Mercedes' front leg as he stood in the box, Duffey threw behind the Sox's rookie designated hitter.
Duffey was ejected from the game, as was Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, the antithesis of old-school baseball thought, yelled and gestured from the dugout as Duffey and Baldelli left the field.
After the Sox's loss, La Russa was asked about Duffey throwing at Mercedes.
"I wasn't that suspicious," he said. "I'm suspicious when someone throws at someone's head. I didn't have a problem with how the Twins handled that."
Lance Lynn, who started for the White Sox in the loss and allowed 2 runs over 6 innings, fits the old-school profile. But he had no problem with Mercedes homering off Astudillo on the 3-0 pitch Monday.
"If a position player is on the mound, there are no rules," Lynn said. "Let's get the (darn) game over with. And if you have a problem with whatever happened, then put a pitcher out there."