Twins postgame: Plenty of bickering during the series against the White Sox

The Twins finished the first half of their Windy City swing going 1-2 against the White Sox. Now it's on to Wrigley Field and three games against the Cubs

June 29, 2018 at 1:49AM

Emptying the notebook following the Twins' 2-1 win over the White Sox in 13 innings:

MORE ARGUING: It wouldn't be a Sox-Twins series without arguments and ejections, with the latest coming in the 11th when Tim Anderson attempted to steal second while Charlie Tilson struck out. Anderson beat catcher Bobby Wilson's throw, but he slid into Ehire Adrianza's right foot, and not the bag. Second base umpire Gerry Davis - that man again - initially called Anderson safe but changed the call to out.

You don't see that very often, an infielder blocking the bag with a foot or leg. Corey Koskie used to do it. Molitor Twins manager Paul Molitor pointed out that it happens on backpicks - throwing beind the runner.

"We don't really practice that," Molitor said. "Sometimes the throw and just how you receive the ball will put you in a position to block the base. I don't really think that's something we go out there to try to do unless you've got the ball and you have a chance to block it. It was just kind of an all-in-one-motion kind of deal."

The White Sox challenged the call, but replay confirmed the decision. Anderson immediately erupted and was tossed. White Sox manager Rick Renteria followed Davis out to second base to continue his case and, somehow, was not ejected.

The inning before, it appeared that Renteria came out to argue after replays confirmed that Jose Abreu missed touching first base, allowing Robbie Grossman to reach on an error. That's an ejection event - but it didn't happen.

"I went out after to see because at least, aesthetically, it looked like he was questioning the replay decision, but he was talking about procedure and appeal," Molitor said. "And the home plate umpire said that's what it was about. It wasn't about the fact they didn't grant the call. I don't really know if Abreu touched the base after he missed it initially. I saw Robbie scamper back there, which usually isn't a very good sign. I don't know exactly what happened there, but if you're going to appeal, usually you have to do it before the guy gets back to the base. That was a little confusing. There were a lot of confusing things the last couple days."

A night earlier, Molitor and third base coach Gene Glynn were tossed for arguing with umpires.

BULLPEN MOSTLY GOOD: Other than Fernando Rodney's blown save, Zach Duke, Trevor Hildenberger, Addison Reed, Taylor Rogers and Alan Busenitz put up scoreless outings. This came after the Twins had Kyle Gibson pitch the seventh inning yesterday. Gibson said then it was to give the bullpen a little bit of a break. One day later, it came into play.

"Sometimes those little things can make a difference," Molitor said. "We were in good shape as far as having Magill and Belisle on the back end for protection if the game would get any longer than it was. We had to burn through some guys, trying to get them out in the right innings, and they got it done."

A couple things within that. Reed threw 11 pitches in his outing. One was a slider, the others fastballs. And White Sox hitters had trouble handling them. Also, Hildenberger now has thrown 18 scoreless innings over his last 16 appearances.

FINALLY: Twins righthander Jake Odorizzi knows it's time for the Twins to get rolling: " It dragged out a while but anytime it's a win, I think everybody is willing to go 14, 15 innings, whatever it takes," he said. "Hopefully, this is the one that gets us going in the right direction because time is getting short this time of a year to make up ground."

about the writer

La Velle E. Neal III

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La Velle E. Neal III is a sports columnist for the Star Tribune who previously covered the Twins for more than 20 years.

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