Numbers go awry for Twins, Pelfrey in 6-2 loss to White Sox

Paul Molitor stuck with the stats and his starter, but Chicago pounced in the decisive seventh inning.

June 24, 2015 at 12:03PM

Under manager Paul Molitor, the Twins pay close attention to what the numbers say — where batters tend to hit the ball, when pitchers should be removed, which hitters victimize which pitchers.

The numbers misled the Twins on Tuesday.

Mike Pelfrey got 20 outs against the White Sox, but given an opportunity to get 21, gave up the go-ahead run instead on a ball hit where it wasn't supposed to be, and the Twins lost for the third time in four games, 6-2 at Target Field.

"We're a shifting team, and it's worked out pretty well for us the first few months," said second baseman Brian Dozier, who went 0-for-4 against White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija. "I felt like they hit it exactly where we weren't playing tonight."

Chief among the statistical outliers was Melky Cabrera, who tends to hit the ball toward deep shortstop, according to Molitor. But with the score tied and Jose Abreu on second base in the seventh inning, Cabrera belted a sinker that curled into the heart of the plate straight up the middle, just out of Eduardo Nunez's reach, giving Chicago its first lead of the game.

"I had some pretty successful at-bats against Melky," said Pelfrey, who struck out the veteran outfielder twice, then gave up a cue-shot double to him that landed on the foul line. "I just didn't come through. I appreciate the faith and the trust, but I left the ball over the middle."

Oh yes, the faith and trust. Molitor said before the game that he trusts his decisions and tries not to second-guess them, traits that will come in handy on nights like this one. Pelfrey wasn't as sharp as he has been in most of his past half-dozen starts, but he was still tied, 2-2, after getting two quick outs in the seventh. His pitch count was at 102, but he needed only one more out to walk off as a success.

He never got it. Abreu rocketed a 96-mph sinker into right field for a single. With lefthanded-hitting Adam LaRoche, 11-for-18 with five walks in his career against Pelfrey, coming to the plate, Molitor stuck with his 31-year-old veteran.

Sure enough, this was the time when the numbers were correct: Three quick balls to LaRoche put him in a hole, and though Pelfrey worked the count to 3-2, a low sinker for ball four put him aboard, too.

Molitor came out of the dugout and huddled with the pitcher.

"I thought [Cabrera] was still a pretty good matchup to try to get out of the inning. So I just asked him how he was doing," Molitor said. "He said, 'Still good.' So I said, 'Let's get this guy out and try to find a way to get you a win.' Didn't work out that way."

Nope. Pelfrey's first pitch to Cabrera was a ball, and the second, a 94-mph sinker, rifled past him on its way to center field.

"I like honest answers. He was confident about how he was doing, and I had a good feeling he was going to be able to get a ground ball," Molitor said. "We were just hoping it was going to be where we could make a play."

The White Sox added runs in the eighth and ninth against the Twins bullpen, more than enough since the Twins were handcuffed by Samardzija, who allowed two runs in seven innings to collect his first win since May 22 — the last time he faced Minnesota.

"You get a lead off him, you know you're probably going to have to find a way to hold on, because he gets stronger as the game goes on," Molitor said. "Not enough offense for us."


Chicago White Sox catcher Geovany Soto tags out Minnesota Twins� Eduardo Nunez, left, as he attempted to score on an RBI single by Kurt Suzuki in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 23, 2015, in Minneapolis.
Chicago White Sox catcher Geovany Soto tags out Minnesota Twins shortstop Eduardo Nunez, left, as he attempted to score on an RBI single by Kurt Suzuki in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 23, 2015, in Minneapolis. (Associated Press - Ap/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (37) cracked a smile between pitches in the fourth inning. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - June 23, 2015, Minneapolis, MN, Target Field, MLB, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey cracked a smile during the fourth inning. But in the seventh? Not so much. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Eddie Rosario (20) rounded the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - June 23, 2015, Minneapolis, MN, Target Field, MLB, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox
The Twins’ Eddie Rosario rounded the bases after his first-inning home run against White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija on Tuesday night. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (37) walked to the dugout after being pulled out of the game in the seventh inning. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - June 23, 2015, Minneapolis, MN, Target Field, MLB, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox
Mike Pelfrey tried to hide his frustration upon being pulled in the seventh inning after giving up the go-ahead run. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (37) handed the ball to Manager Paul Molitor after being pulled out of the game in the seventh inning.
Twins manager Paul Molitor took the ball from starter Mike Pelfrey, who couldn’t get the third out of the seventh inning. Pelfrey fell to 5-4 after giving up three runs and 10 hits. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Alexei Ramirez (10) tagged out Byron Buxton (25) as he attempted to steal second base in the seventh inning. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - June 23, 2015, Minneapolis, MN, Target Field, MLB, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox
Byron Buxton tried to steal second after his seventh-inning single, but White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez tagged him out. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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about the writer

Phil Miller

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Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.

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