Chicago White Sox vs Minnesota Twins Box Score on May 19, 2021

Lucas Giolito allowed two hits, struck out 11 and gave up one run over eight innings to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the rubber game of their three-game series on Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Giolito (3-4), who was 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his five previous starts, kept the Twins off-balance all afternoon with a changeup and left after throwing 111 pitches, 68 for strikes. He walked three.

Liam Hendriks picked up his ninth save with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Leury Garcia went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the American League Central-leading White Sox, who improved to 5-1 this season against the Twins and completed a 13-game stretch against Minnesota and Kansas City with a 10-3 mark.

Nelson Cruz had both hits for Minnesota, including the 427th home run of his career to pass Billy Williams and move into a tie for 50th place on the all-time home runs list with Mike Piazza. Cal Ripken Jr. is 49th with 431.

Matt Shoemaker (2-5) suffered the loss. He allowed two runs on five hits and four walks over six innings and struck out two.

Cruz gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the third inning when he lined his 10th homer of the season over the 403-foot sign in right-center. The 416-foot drive was the fourth of Cruz's career against Giolito, the most by any right-handed batter in the league.

Chicago tied it in the fifth when Garcia led off with a line-drive double into the gap in right-center and was sacrificed to third by Danny Mendick. After Tim Anderson, who went 0-for-5 for the second straight game, grounded out, Adam Eaton drove in Garcia with an infield single deep into the hole at short.

The White Sox then took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Jake Lamb led off with a double to right-center, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Garcia's single that one-hopped the fence down the left field line.

--Field Level Media