'Fired up' White Sox flip the power switch against Twins
Josh Donaldson strongly insinuated he homered off Lucas Giolito Tuesday night because the White Sox's standout starter is no longer allowed to use the "sticky stuff."
Is the same true for the Twins' pitching staff?
It's hard to say, but the Sox teed off on Minnesota starter Bailey Ober and reliever Matt Shoemaker, hitting 6 home runs.
The White Sox beat the Twins 13-3 in a game that started 35 minutes late due to rain.
After Donaldson was greeted by a chorus of boos from the crowd of 16,803 and homered off Dylan Cease in the first inning, the power shifted to the Sox.
Did Minnesota's outspoken third baseman motivate the Sox?
"I ignored it," said Yasmani Grandal, who hit 2 homers and had 5 RBI. "But it didn't go unnoticed. It definitely fires you up. If anything, thanks to him for getting us awakened a little bit."
Brian Goodwin hit a solo shot off Ober in the second inning and Andrew Vaughn put the White Sox in front for good with a 2-run homer in the third.
Jose Abreu also went deep against Ober - just his second home run in June - and Grandal greeted Shoemaker with a 3-run blast.
Right fielder Gavin Sheets, who was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI in his first major-league game Tuesday, hit his first big-leaguew homer in the fifth inning, a 2-run drive off Shoemaker.
Grandal hit his second home run of the game in the sixth, a 2-run shot off Shoemaker.
"That was a beatdown," said Cease, who allowed 2 runs on 3 hits over 6 innings to go with 7 strikeouts.
Before the game, the Sox activated swingman Michael Kopech off the injured list and recalled reliever Jace Fry from Class AAA Charlotte.
Relievers Aaron Bummer (right hamstring) and Evan Marshall (right flexor pronator) were placed on the IL.
Kopech was out since May 28 with a left hamstring strain.
"I knew it wasn't major, something I would have to work through," Kopech said. "It took a little longer than I wanted but we put in a lot of good work and I'm glad to be back."
Future stars:
Jake Burger didn't play last year due the COVID-19 pandemic, unless you count his short stint in the CarShield Collegiate League.
He also missed the 2018-19 seasons with an Achilles injury.
Not only is the White Sox's 2017 first-round draft pick back this year, he's thriving at Class AAA Charlotte.
On Wednesday, Burger and high Class A outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes were named to the American League team for the July 11 All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field.
"It's an honor," said Burger, who is batting .322 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in 42 game with Charlotte. "You look back a year ago and I was in a collegiate/pro mix league. It's been a crazy year and hopefully things keep going the way they are."