MINNEAPOLIS _ Monday was the start of the sweet spot of the Twins schedule, with 26 of their final 38 games against the White Sox, Royals and Tigers _ the non-contenders of the American League Central.
But it doesn't matter how sweet the schedule is when the play on the field is sour.
Kyle Gibson put the Twins in a hole in the third inning. Eddie Rosario and Jake Cave made poor throws from the outfield. And the Twins failed to cash in on a couple good scoring opportunities as they lost to Chicago 6-4 at Target Field.
Miguel Sano struck out with the tying runs on base in the ninth to end the game.
The Twins scored twice in the first inning off White Sox righthander Ivan Nova, which is no small feat. Nova entered the game with a 2.56 ERA over his past 11 starts, including a complete game win over Houston in his last outing.
But Luis Arraez began the first inning with a 10-pitch at- bat that ended with a double over Leury Garcia's head in center. Jorge Polanco drove in Arraez with a double to right for the first run of the game. Nelson Cruz, activated from the injured list before the game, followed with an RBI single.
Gibson needed just nine pitches to get through the first inning and used 10 in the second. He was on his way to an outing that looked like it would take him into the late innings Monday.
But the righthander got into trouble in the third. Ryan Goins delivered a two-out, RBI single to get Chicago within 2-1 and bring Jose Abreu to the plate.
With Jon Jay, his .274 batting average and no home runs on deck, Gibson could work Abreu carefully. But that didn't happen.
Gibson's first pitch was a fastball down the middle that he tried to cut in on Abreu's hands. It didn't, and Abreu propelled the pitch into the second deck of Target Field for a three-run homer. Abreu's homer gave the White Sox a 4-2 lead that they took into the late innings.
Gibson didn't pitch that poorly. Abreu's 10th career home run in Target Field clearly was easily the hardest ball hit off him Monday, but it was a mistake all the same in a season in which Gibson has struggled to maintain his good form.
He entered the game with a 5.63 ERA in August and was coming off an outing in which he lasted just five innings against Milwaukee.
But as shaky as he was in the third inning Monday, Gibson did shake it off to pitch into the seventh inning. Over the first six innings, the third inning was the only one in which Gibson didn't face the minimum.
Gibson retired 10 straight batters before Tim Anderson led off the seventh with a hustle double to center, as Cave's throw was wide of the bag. Anderson moved to third on a ground out, then Matt Skole walked to put runners on first and third for Yolmer Sanchez.
Pitching coach Wes Johnson went to the mound to visit Gibson and set the defense. Instead of playing at double play depth, they played to cut off the run at home. Gibson got ahead Sanchez, who fouled off four consecutive pitches. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Chicago manager Rick Renteria ordered a squeeze play.
Sanchez bunted back to the mound as Anderson raced home. Gibson had to throw to first to get Sanchez as Chicago took a 5-2 lead.
Gibson was replaced by Ryne Harper after the play. Gibson wasn't awful Monday, just not good enough.
