MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis homered and had a season-high four RBIs and the Minnesota Twins sent the Chicago White Sox to their 18th straight loss, romping to a 10-2 victory Friday night.
The futility streak is the longest in the majors since Baltimore lost 19 straight in August 2021. Chicago had just three hits.
Willi Castro and Byron Buxton homered in a six-run eighth inning.
Miguel Vargas went deep for the White Sox.
The White Sox have been outscored 112-39 during their skid and scored three or fewer runs in 13 of 14 games since the All-Star break.
Lewis lined a two-run home run in the first and laced a two-run double to the gap in right center in the third. In the eighth, Christian Vázquez had a two-run double before Castro and Buxton each hit two-run home runs.
Joe Ryan (7-7) allowed three hits and struck out seven across 6 1/3 innings for his first victory in four starts. He has 25 straight starts of at least five innings. That includes all 22 this year, the fourth-longest streak in baseball.
He struck out the first four Chicago hitters and did not allow a hit until Vargas went deep for his first White Sox home run, a two-run shot in the third. Vargas was acquired from the Dodgers on Monday as part of a three-team trade that included St. Louis.
Making his first start since Oct. 5, 2022, Davis Martin (0-1) allowed four earned runs on six hits and struck out five in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander had Tommy John surgery in May 2023, and made his season debut with 2 2/3 innings of relief last Saturday.
He was one strike away from getting out of the first inning, but a 3-2 slider to Lewis landed halfway up the left-field seats for a 2-0 Twins lead.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Drew Thorpe was placed on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to Thursday, because of a right flexor strain. RHP Prelander Berroa was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
Twins: RF Max Kepler did not play two days after striking out but getting hit in the helmet by Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez’s attempted throw to second base. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Kepler passed all concussion-protocol tests but needs to go through a full workout.
UP NEXT
LHP Garrett Crochet (6-8, 3.23) was scheduled to start for Chicago on Saturday night against RHP Bailey Ober (10-5, 3.76).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
