CHICAGO — Nick Gordon discovered the joys and frustrations of playing at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.
The versatile Twins utility player drilled a home run into the famous bleachers, a two-run shot that restored the Twins' lead in a game they eventually won 9-5 over the Cubs. It was Gordon's third big-league home run, and his first as an outfielder.
Then he discovered the difficulty of patrolling in front of those ivy-covered bleachers, too, especially in the major leagues' only outfield without lights behind it. When Cubs first baseman Frank Schwindel smashed a high line drive to Gordon's left, he couldn't quite reach it — then watched it disappear into the ivy. Schwindel was awarded a double, and Gordon left it to ballpark personnel to search the vines for the ball.
The game at the blustery north side ballpark was a nice offensive breakout for the Twins, who have scored seven or more runs only three times in their past 24 games.In addition to Gordon's homer, the Twins' Nos. 4-5 hitters were in the middle of most of the offense. Cleanup hitter Josh Donaldson drove in runs with a first-inning sacrifice fly and a fifth-inning single, and Max Kepler, batting directly behind him, contributed run-scoring singles in the fourth and fifth innings.
The runs were necessary, because starter Griffin Jax and the Twins' relief corps had difficulty tamping down the Cubs' home-field attack. Jax's problem was a familiar one — he surrendered solo home runs to Trayce Thompson in the second inning, and Willson Contreras in the third.
The two blasts gave Jax 21 home runs surrendered on the season, tying him with departed starter J.A. Happ for most on the staff. But Jax has thrown only 72 innings this year, and his average of 2.63 homers allowed per nine innings is the highest single-season mark in Twins history.
