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Miguel Sano hits three homers as Minnesota Twins stun Chicago White Sox in walk-off

May 18, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) reaches first base before Minnesota Twins first baseman Miguel Sano (22) can catch the ball in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) reaches first base before Minnesota Twins first baseman Miguel Sano (22) can catch the ball in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Jorge Polanco’s walk-off single in the ninth and Miguel Sano’s three home runs helped the host Minnesota Twins rally for a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

Sano hit solo homers in the fourth and sixth innings, and completed the trifecta with a 412-foot blast over the right center field scoreboard off reliever Aaron Bummer (0-2) to tie the game at 4 in the eighth. It was Bummer’s fourth blown save of the season.

Andrelton Simmons led off the ninth with a single and moved to second on a slow groundout by Nelson Cruz. After reliever Liam Hendriks intentionally walked Luis Arraez, Josh Donaldson’s fly ball moved Simmons to third, setting up Polanco’s game-winning hit into the right field corner.

The Twins won for only the third time in their past 13 games. The White Sox let an early 4-0 lead slip away and suffered only their third loss in their past 12 games. Taylor Rogers (1-2) picked up the win in relief for the Twins.

Minnesota’s scheduled starter Michael Pineda was scratched due to an abscess in his thigh. Rookie 6-foot-9 right-hander Bailey Ober made his major-league debut, and gave up four runs over four innings on five hits, including home runs by Yasmani Grandal and Jake Lamb.

Ober, who compiled a 1.29 ERA in two starts in Triple-A this season, struck out four and walked one.

Sano’s first two homers came off White Sox starter Lance Lynn, who threw six solid innings, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out two with one walk.

Twins reliever Tyler Duffey threw a pitch behind Yermin Mercedes in the seventh inning and was ejected.

The incident came a day after Mercedes swung at a 3-0 pitch and hit a home run off catcher Willians Astudillo while he pitched the ninth inning with the White Sox comfortably ahead 15-4 at the time. White Sox manager Tony La Russa, who called what Mercedes did “a mistake” pregame on Tuesday, had a brief meeting with home plate umpire Jim Reynolds just before Duffey’s pitch.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was subsequently ejected for arguing Duffey’s ejection.

–Field Level Media

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