Nelson Cruz homers twice, drives in seven as Twins win series from White Sox with 14-2 rout

CHICAGO – The White Sox proved over the weekend that they’re a better team than a year ago.

The Twins suggested that still won’t be enough.

It was a successful business trip to Chicago for the Twins, who took two of three games from the White Sox, including a 14-2 blitzing on Sunday in the rubber game of the series. Jake Cave started things off in the first with his second career grand slam. The Twins added five runs in the second inning.

Righthander Kenta Maeda gave up two runs on four hits over five innings to win his Twins debut. He made it look easy over the first four innings, needing an efficient 56 pitches, as he stayed one step ahead of hitters with a mix of fastballs, sliders and changeups.

And it’s not a Twins-White Sox game without noise from Nelson Cruz, who provided a signature performance, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, seven RBI and a four runs scored. In his past 19 games against the Chicago, Cruz has hit 11 home runs and accumulated 34 RBI.

And it can’t be ignored that the Twins did this while experiencing life on the road like never before because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They spent six days in one of America’s great cities but were not allowed to enjoy its sights and sounds because virus management is a priority. Teams will have to get used to a new normal when it comes to travel and being safe, which will be part of the Twins challenge.

White Sox righthander Reynaldo Lopez sandwiched two walks around a Cruz double to load the bases for Cave, who belted a 1-0 pitch to the opposite field for the grand slam. Luis Arraez followed with a single and Lopez had a 2-2 count on Marwin Gonzalez when he was pulled from the game because of shoulder tightness.

Gonzalez struck out to end the inning, but the Twins scored five runs on four hits, two hit batters and a walk. It sort of put the game in cruise control — except for Cruz.

Cruz led off the fourth with a 435-foot blast to left-center off Gonzalez, then crushed a three-run shot to left in the eighth off Kelvin Herrera for his second homer of the game.

Chicago scored in the fifth when Luis Robert hit the first home run of his career, a two-run shot to center off Maeda.

White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez left the game with lightheadedness in the second inning. He had smashed into the fence in the first inning while chasing after Cave’s home run, then felt symptoms while running after Eddie Rosario’s RBI single in the second.

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