After offense rallies, Twins bullpen melts down again in 9-5 loss to White Sox

CHICAGO — It must hurt for the team of Tony Oliva to realize this, but the Twins have a Cuban problem.

Yoan Moncada had three hits including a two-run home run, Jose Abreu smacked a double, triple and home run, driving in four runs and scoring each time, and the White Sox rallied with a five-run eighth inning Tuesday to hand the Twins their fifth loss in six post-All-Star games, 9-5 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

"They're playing with confidence. They look like they believe they're in every game," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said after Chicago erased a Minnesota lead late for the second consecutive night. "We know what that feels like. That's where we want to get."

Maybe they should invest in some Cubans. Five players have hit at least four home runs against Minnesota pitching this season, and three of them — Abreu, injured White Sox teammate Yasmani Grandal and Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia — all hail from the island. Moncada only has two homers, but his 16 hits against the Twins this year are second only to teammate Tim Anderson's 17.

Then again, perhaps hitting shouldn't be the first priority. The Twins bullpen, better lately but still with the third-worst ERA in the league (4.90), fought off several White Sox rallies until the eighth inning, when Jorge Alcala entered with Minnesota, on the strength of home runs by Max Kepler in the second, Josh Donaldson in the sixth and Jorge Polanco in the eighth, clinging to a 5-4 lead.

It didn't last long. Alcala struck out Leury Garcia, but then walked two batters and surrendered a game-tying single to pinch hitter Andrew Vaughn. Baldelli turned to Hansel Robles, who has saved 10 games this year, but who had pitched three innings over the past three days.

Robles struck out Tim Anderson, but Billy Hamilton lined a single to left field, putting the White Sox in front. And two pitches later, Abreu hit a Robles changeup high in the air, a soaring home run that put the game out of reach.

"[Tuesday] wasn't our sharpest night out of the pen. It's really hard to win a close game if the bullpen isn't sharp," Baldelli said. "A one-run game and it just wasn't our night. We didn't throw the ball great."

Their hitting was better, though. The Twins scored two runs off White Sox starter Dallas Keuchel, then added on another against Michael Kopech, a long home run by Donaldson that caused the routine booing he hears here to grow even louder.

Still, the Twins trailed 4-3 until the eighth, when Donaldson led off with a single against reliever Ryan Burr. Polanco followed with a go-ahead blast of his own into the right-field seats.

"He's been coming up with big hits for us. He's playing confidently," Baldelli said. "He's playing through a sore back, too. He's feeling tight and still playing through it. He's a gamer."

The Twins lost one other player, though. Luis Arraez was on crutches after the game, but Baldelli said it was just a precaution.

But his knee was sore as he came off the field, and he was removed. "We'll see how he feels [Wednesday]," Baldelli said. "We're hopeful."