08/30/26 03:44:00
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08/30 15:42 CDT Zebby Matthews finishes stellar August as Twins beat White Sox
5-1
Zebby Matthews finishes stellar August as Twins beat White Sox 5-1
By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- Zebby Matthews took a perfect game into the sixth inning
and pitched a career-high 8 1/3 innings as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago
White Sox 5-1 on Sunday to avoid being swept by the American League Central
leaders.
Josh Bell had a pair of RBI singles and Luke Keaschall homered for the Twins,
who had lost four games in a row and sunk to 8 1/2 games behind Chicago and
four games behind Cleveland in the Central and for the third wild card spot
entering Sunday. The team also placed star center fielder Byron Buxton on the
10-day injured list before the game as he deals with a lingering hip
impingement.
Trevor Larnach's two-run double in the first inning supplied Matthews (9-8)
with a 3-0 lead, and the 26-year-old took over from there.
He faced the minimum until Drew Romo broke up the perfect game and no-hitter
with a soft single to right with two outs in the sixth. Matthews was trying for
his first career shutout and complete game, but Sam Antonacci and Miguel Vargas
singled in the ninth, prompting Twins manager Derek Shelton to go to Jeff
Hoffman, who allowed one of the inherited runners to score.
Matthews allowed five hits and didn't walk anyone, while throwing 103 pitches.
He finished the month of August 5-0 in five starts, giving up just 10 earned
runs over 31 innings (2.90 ERA). He struck out 24, including five more on
Sunday.
Jordan Hicks (2-2) allowed all three runs in the first, surrendering a hit and
two walks, while getting just two outs as the White Sox opener. Chicago saw its
four-game winning streak snapped and was shut out for the 10th time this season.
Up next
White Sox: Begin a four-game series in Houston on Monday. Chicago LHP Anthony
Kay (9-6, 4.09) faces Astros RHP Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.66) in the opener.
Twins: The run of AL Central opponents continues with a three-game series
against Detroit starting Monday in Minnesota. RHP Taj Bradley (9-6, 3.97)
starts for the Twins, while RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 3.93) is scheduled for the
Tigers.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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