CHICAGO _ What a tease, those Twins. As their worst season ever came to a close Sunday, they decided to flash another strong hint of the potential they've been promoting, but mostly not delivering, the past few years.
Byron Buxton smashed the first pitch of his final 2016 game off the center-field fence and easily circled the bases before the ball could be tracked down. Miguel Sano blasted a pitch a dozen rows deep into the bleacher in left-center, a mammoth reminder of his tremendous power. And Jose Berrios, who hadn't started a Twins victory in two months, was a master of damage control, outpitching White Sox ace Chris Sale.
It all added up to a 6-3 victory at U.S. Cellular Field, the Twins' first two-game winning streak since Aug. 16-17, and a bit of an "Auld Lang Syne" finish to a 59-103 calamity of a season.
Buxton, leading off for the first time all season because Brian Dozier's sore quad kept him on the bench, was waiting for Sale's first-pitch fastball and just missed clearing the fence in right-center. When center fielder Leury Garcia's awkward jump for the ball left him slumped on the ground, Buxton accelerated around the bases and reached home well ahead of the ball, his first career inside-the-park home run.
Two innings later, Sano capped a four-run inning off Sale by crushing a 3-1 slider into the bleachers, his 25th homer of the season and the Twins' 200th, marking the first time since 1964, and third time overall, they have hit so many.
Handed that cushion, Berrios was his usual in-and-out-of-trouble self, putting runners on base in four of his five innings. But only once, when Jose Abreu connected on a two-out, third-inning single, did Chicago manage to score against the young right-hander, who earned his third career victory, and first since Aug. 2. Berrios finished the season 3-7, but his wins came when he was matched against Dallas Keuchel, Danny Salazar and Sale, three of the best pitchers in the American League.
The Twins' bullpen gave up a couple of runs late, but Brandon Kintzler retired the White Sox in order in the ninth, striking out Tim Anderson to close the season with his 17th save.
