White Sox Defeat Twins 7-4 as AL Central Race Heats Up

Chicago’s offense erupted early at Target Field, turning a shaky start by Minnesota into a 7-4 victory. Colson Montgomery delivered a three-run homer in the first inning, his 28th of the season, while Andrew Benintendi added two RBIs later. The Twins answered with first-inning homers by Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens, but Chicago reclaimed the lead in the third on Benintendi’s double. Both starters—Dean Kremer for Minnesota (2-5) and Luis Castillo for Chicago—were limited to four innings. Reliever Grant Taylor (7-2) closed out the White Sox win with 2 2/3 shutout innings, and Bryan Hudson earned his sixth save.

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The White Sox entered the game atop the American League Central, holding a 70-63 record and a 2.5-game lead in the division. Their success has been home-field driven; they are 29-36 on the road. The Twins, at 64-70, sit four games behind the final AL wild-card spot and are six and a half games back in the division. With the Cleveland Guardians mounting a late-season surge, the three-game series at Target Field is pivotal for Chicago’s bid to secure the division title and avoid a precarious wild-card race.

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• Luis Castillo – RHP, Chicago White Sox – Acquired from Seattle, Castillo has posted a 5.89 ERA in four starts according to SouthSideSox analysis, while Fox News lists a 5.19 ERA. He allowed four runs on eight hits in this outing.

Game Thread: White Sox (70-63) at Twins (64-70)

• Dean Kremer – RHP, Minnesota Twins – A July 1 acquisition from the Orioles, Kremer previously limited the White Sox to one run over six innings. With Minnesota he carries a 3.18 ERA over 22 2/3 innings, per SoxMachine. In this game he surrendered six runs (five earned).

Pregame notes: Tristan Peters chasing White Sox history; Walker Jenkins making MLB debut for Twins

• Tristan Peters – CF, Chicago White Sox – Ended a five-game home-run streak, tying a franchise record. He went 1-for-4 with a single.

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• Walker Jenkins – CF, Minnesota Twins – Made his major-league debut, drawing a crowd ovation after a deep flyout and recording his first hit with a single in the fourth inning.

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• White Sox total hits: 13; runs: 7.

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• Twins total hits: 12; runs: 4.

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• Montgomery’s three-run homer accounted for 43% of Chicago’s runs.

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• Both starters logged exactly four innings pitched.

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• Grant Taylor recorded 2 2/3 scoreless innings; Bryan Hudson secured his sixth save of the season.

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• The Twins have been 8-14 since the trade deadline, a slump that continues to erode their wild-card hopes.

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• Luis Castillo’s ERA: Fox News reports a 5.19 ERA for the season, while SouthSideSox cites a 5.89 ERA. Both figures reference his performance after the Seattle trade.

Fox News (website)

• Dean Kremer’s season ERA: SoxMachine notes a 3.18 ERA with the Twins, whereas Fox News lists a 5.22 ERA overall for the year. The discrepancy stems from differing reference points—Kremer’s Twins tenure versus his full-season record.

Fox News (website)

Chicago will start right-hander Erick Fedde (6-8, 4.18 ERA) in the next game, while Minnesota is slated to give the mound to Bailey Ober (7-4, 4.49 ERA). The outcomes of these matchups will further shape the AL Central standings as the regular season approaches its final stretch.

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