Twins at White Sox
The Minnesota Twins are taking out their frustrations on the Chicago White Sox after faltering in their home series against the New York Yankees, setting home-run records in the process. Minnesota attempts to continue its power surge when it visits Chicago on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game series.
The Twins surrendered 24 runs while losing the final two contests of their three-game set against New York before becoming the first time in major-league history to hit at least five homers on nine occasions in a season during their series-opening victory on Thursday. The club set another record in Friday's 6-2 triumph as Max Kepler's three-run blast in the second inning made Minnesota the fastest team to reach 200 homers in a campaign (103 games), obliterating the previous mark set by Texas in 2005 (122). Nelson Cruz also went deep during his 3-for-4 performance on Friday, giving him four blasts over the first two games of the set and seven during his five-game streak. Adam Engel belted a two-run shot in Friday's loss and is 3-for-7 in the series for the White Sox, who have lost four in a row and 12 of 15 since the All-Star break.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Martin Perez (8-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Ivan Nova (5-9, 5.49)
Perez managed to escape with his fourth no-decision in five starts on Monday after yielding five runs on seven hits (three homers) and four walks in four innings against the New York Yankees. The 28-year-old Venezuelan hasn't lost since June 16 versus Kansas City despite giving up four or more runs three times during his five-turn unbeaten streak. Perez is 3-1 with one of his two career shutouts and a 4.88 ERA in four starts against Chicago.
Nova is coming off his ninth career complete game, a victory over Miami on Monday in which he allowed one run and four hits without issuing a walk. It was just the second win in 11 starts for the 32-year-old Dominican, who registered five strikeouts in the triumph. Nova fell to 2-2 with a 4.26 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance against Minnesota during his career on June 29, when he yielded four runs and seven hits in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins are 63 home runs away from tying the single-season major-league record of 264 set by the Yankees last year.
2. Chicago OF Jon Jay has hit safely in 18 of his 24 games this season after going 2-for-3 on Friday.
3. Minnesota purchased the contract of RHP Jonathan Cheshire from Somerset of the independent Atlantic League and assigned him to Double-A Pensacola.