Moncada's bat powers White Sox to 5-1 win over Twins
In the top of the third inning Saturday night, there was an audible groan from the crowd of 34,085 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada dropped a popup off the bat of the Twins' Jorge Polanco, allowing Byron Buxton to score an unearned run from third base and tie the game at 1.
Since Moncada was in a defensive shift and had to change course, the catch wasn't as easy as it might have appeared. Still, manager Rick Renteria addressed the reeling Sox in the dugout when the inning ended.
"Just making sure we were clear on how we're doing things," Renteria said. "I think they know we're better than that. That's all it was. Just reminding them that we're better than that."
Moncada obviously took the message to heart, and he used his bat to help the White Sox to a 5-1 win over Minnesota.
Batting second and hitting right-handed, Moncada doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third, he hit his 20th home run of the season in the fifth inning and added an RBI double in the seventh.
"(Renteria) just told us to keep playing good out there and do your job and enjoy the game," Moncada said through a translator. "Don't get frustrated."
The fielding blip did not frustrate Moncada at the plate. With 60 games left in the season, he already has 21 doubles and 20 homers.
"When you put all those numbers together, you recognize this is starting to look like a very good season," Moncada said.
Nova rolling:
On June 29, Ivan Nova started against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field and he gave up 4 runs in 6 innings. That left the right-hander with a 3-7 record and 5.92 ERA.
A month later, Nova is in a much better place. In Saturday night's 5-1 win over Minnesota, he allowed 1 unearned run over 6 innings to complete a solid July.
"I think I'm throwing more strikes," Nova said.
Nova was 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA in July, and he allowed only 1 run against the Marlins Monday night while pitching a complete game.
With starting pitching in high demand as Wednesday's trade deadline nears, Nova's name is starting to come up.
"My focus is here," said Nova, who has lowered his overall ERA to 5.23. "Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, but I cannot think about that. I want to stay here. The No. 1 thing is I want to help the team to win games. If I get traded, OK, but it's nothing I'm anticipating or asking for."
Anderson update:
Injured shortstop Tim Anderson (sprained right ankle) played his fourth rehab game with Class AAA Charlotte Saturday night and was 2-for-5 with a solo home run.
Like his first game at Triple-A, Anderson was the designated hitter. He played short the next two games.
Anderson is likely to play shortstop for Charlotte again on Sunday and be back with the White Sox after Monday's off-day.
"He's feeling good," Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He's been running fine. He's been pushing to continue to play."