White Sox Beat Twins
White Sox Defeat Twins 4-1 to Strengthen AL Central Lead
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Key Points
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Kody Clemens led Minnesota’s offense with three of the Twins’ eight hits, while Kyle Teel went 0-for-3 in his return after missing time with a sprained left ankle.
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The game was the first of a six-game road trip for Minnesota, which began after the Twins lost a chance to sweep Detroit in a 12-inning defeat on Wednesday.
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Vargas’s 30th homer represented a major increase from his previous career high of 16, while Colson Montgomery had hit 21 homers in his 2025 rookie season.
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Chicago’s bullpen preserved the lead after Fedde departed: Hagen Smith worked two innings, Bryan Hudson pitched the eighth, and Luke Keaschall ended Minnesota’s ninth-inning threat by flying out with two runners aboard.
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The matchup was a rematch from the previous weekend, when Matthews held Chicago to one run over a career-high 8⅓ innings in Minnesota’s 5-1 victory, while Fedde had allowed two runs over five innings in Chicago’s prior win over the Twins.
The Chicago White Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Saturday, strengthening their grip on the AL Central while Minnesota fell further behind in the playoff race. MLB.com reported that Miguel Vargas, Braden Montgomery, and Colson Montgomery each homered for Chicago, with Colson's 416-foot shot marking his 30th home run of the season. The loss dropped Minnesota three games back of the final AL wild-card spot with just 22 games remaining.
White Sox pitcher Erick Fedde limited the Twins to three hits over five innings, while Minnesota's Zebby Matthews took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in five frames. The defeat ended Matthews' five-game winning streak and capped a costly road trip opener for Minnesota, which stranded nine runners and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Vargas Breaks Career Home Run Record in Victory
Miguel Vargas delivered a pivotal home run for the White Sox, continuing a remarkable power surge that has defined his season. According to The Score, Vargas hit a solo shot that contributed to Chicago's four-run total. His achievement marks a dramatic jump—Vargas had never hit more than 16 home runs in a single season before 2026, making this year's power output a career transformation.
Minnesota's Offense Fails to Capitalize Late
The Twins managed just eight hits and one run despite multiple scoring opportunities, with Josh Bell's solo shot in the ninth providing their only mark. MLB.com noted that Kody Clemens led Minnesota's weak offensive showing with three hits. Kyle Teel returned from a sprained left ankle but went 0-for-3, leaving the Twins unable to spark any sustained threat against Chicago's bullpen.
White Sox Bullpen Locks Down Victory in Late Innings
After Fedde departed in the fifth, Chicago's relief corps allowed no runs and just one hit over four innings. Hagen Smith worked two innings, Bryan Hudson pitched the eighth, and Luke Keaschall closed out the ninth by forcing a fly out with two runners on base. The efficient bullpen performance prevented Minnesota from mounting a comeback despite their late offensive push.
Chicago Bounces Back From Recent Struggles
The White Sox victory came after they had dropped four of their last five games, making the decisive win over their division rival especially significant. MLB.com highlighted Chicago's three home run attack as the key to snapping their slump. The win puts pressure on Minnesota heading into the remainder of their road trip, with the Twins now needing to gain ground quickly to stay alive in the wild-card chase.
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