Postgame: Buxton hits rare double play, but to a familiar face in the field

CHICAGO — A trio of extras from the Twins' first win this season in a ballpark that is usually good to them:

I asked Byron Buxton if he had ever hit into a 6-4-3 double play in the majors before tonight. He said he honestly couldn't recall one.

So I looked it up, and discovered why he couldn't remember: This was his first. It's his second GIDP in the majors, but the last one, which came Sept. 30 last year, was a hard grounder hit directly at Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez, who tagged Torii Hunter as he ran to third, then fired to first for the out.

Then I noticed a crazy coincidence in Buxton's meager double-play history. In his past three seasons, Buxton has hit into just five double plays, but three of them were like that play at Cleveland, requiring just one throw.

Only twice in three seasons has the speedy Buxton been beaten on a two-throw double play. Both were the 6-4-3 variety, one coming Tuesday against the White Sox, the other last June while Buxton was with Class AA Chattanooga, in a game against Birmingham.

The weird (or impressive) part? White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson started both double plays. Quick hands, that rookie.

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"There's a difference between getting out front and jerking the ball, rather than pulling the ball but staying behind the it and really driving the ball," Dozier explained after homering twice and singling, all to the left side. "You can be a pull hitter, but you've got to stay behind the ball, rather than getting everything out front and jerking it. That was what I had to overcome in the month of April, but I'm feeling good now."

Sounds good to Molitor.

"We talked a lot about trying to use the whole field a little more, but I think he's just slowing himself down and getting a better look at the baseball," Molitor said. "When he gets mistakes, he takes advantage."

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Tough night for Trevor Plouffe, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a popup, but manager Paul Molitor was quick to wave off any suggestion that Plouffe's groin injury last week had anything to do with it.