Gavin Sheets tried to soak it all in while running around the bases after his walk-off home run against Jose Berrios on Monday night, a three-run blast that gave the Sox a 5-3 victory over the Twins and a split of their doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“I tried to take it all in,” Sheets said. “Between the lights and the excitement and seeing everybody out of the dugout, that was the best part. This could have been a tough day for us and go 0-2.’’
Sheets is one of the Sox’ young reinforcements who’ve contributed in the absence of injured outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert. He knows there isn’t room for everyone on the roster when they return.
“I’m not trying to think too much about staying,” said Sheets, who has five home runs. “That’s my goal. I want to be here. I want to be a part of this run. This is the place to be.”
After losing 3-2 in eight innings in Game 1 and being handcuffed by Berrios for 5‰ innings, the Sox closed the deficit to one on Yoan Moncada’s homer in the sixth. Brian Goodwin and Andrew Vaughn singled and walked and advanced on a wild pitch before Sheets went deep.
“Berrios was almost unhittable,” manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s why the game is just crazy. You try to say you understand it and can predict it, [but] you’re fooling yourself and everybody else.”
Lynn shows why
Two days after signing a multiyear extension, All-Star right-hander Lance Lynn reminded everyone in Game 1 why the Sox will shell out $18.5 million in each of the next two seasons for his services.
Lynn pitched seven innings of one-run ball, lowering his ERA another few notches to an American League-best 1.94.
“The big thing is don’t [stink] the first one out after it, really,” Lynn said. “You’re honored to get the extension and to be here, and you want to make sure you go out and prove it.”
Anderson streaking
Tim Anderson extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games and has had a hit and scored a run in 12 consecutive games, extending a franchise record.
Anderson had a chance to win Game 1 with two on and two outs in the seventh but popped out on a 3-0 pitch from Tyler Duffey that was a few inches inside. He did not start in Game 2, getting a rest from La Russa.
Abreu passes Fisk on HR list
Jose Abreu’s 17th homer of the season and 215th of his career, against Berrios in Game 2, moved him past Carlton Fisk for fourth in franchise history, behind Frank Thomas (448), Paul Konerko (432) and Harold Baines (221).
Broadcast news
TBS picked up the Aug. 1 game against the Indians (1:10 p.m.), a national broadcast. NBC Sports Chicago will carry the game in the Chicago market. The Sox-Twins game Aug. 11 (12:10 p.m.) has been picked up by YouTube, an exclusive broadcast that will not be televised on NBCSCH.
This and that
Reynaldo Lopez started the second game and pitched three innings, allowing two runs (one was unearned stemming from his error on a pickoff attempt).
† Right-hander Matt Foster was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte as the 27th man for the doubleheader and appeared in Game 2.
