After stunning 9th inning rally, Twins walk off the White Sox in extras
It took the Minnesota Twins until the 9th inning to do what they had been threatening all afternoon: score.
Trailing 3-0 to the White Sox entering the bottom of the 9th, the Twins put together a series of hits to tie the game, culminating with Alex Kirilloff's double that scored Willi Castro.
Both teams scored a run a-piece in the 10th and the game continued till the 12th, when Ryan Jeffers hit a two-out single to secure the 5-4 victory and the series sweep.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!!
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) July 23, 2023
ALEX KIRILLOFF TIES IT UP!!! #MNTWINS x #WHITESOX pic.twitter.com/I2vdSlFu1r
Ryan Jeffers walks off the White Sox with a single to right pic.twitter.com/F9Ts4kdXVt
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) July 23, 2023
Up until the 9th it had proven a frustrating afternoon for Twins batters, who had compiled seven hits and three walks by the 8th inning, only to strand runners in scoring position on no fewer than five occasions.
The White Sox had jumped ahead 3-0 on a pair of homers from Eloy Jimenez and Zach Remillard in the 2nd and 3rd innings, with Remillard adding an RBI single in the 5th off of Twins starter Bailey Ober.
But in the 9th, the Twins found themselves with two on and zero outs after a walk for Matt Wallner and a single for Kyle Farmer, with Castro then doubling to score Wallner.
Carlos Correa's sac-fly to left scored Farmer, but with Eduoard Julien striking out, Kirilloff came to the plate with the Sox needing just a single out. Instead, Kirilloff doubled to left and brought Castro home.
The Twins brought out ace closer Jhoan Duran for the 10th inning and he snagged two quick outs, but with only one more strike needed he gave up a double to Tim Anderson, scoring the runner on second.
The Twins came out for the 10th and almost immediately advanced pinch runner Joey Gallo on a wild pitch. A fly out from Farmer to shallow right was turned into a sac-fly as Gallo headed for home when right-fielder Oscar Colas fell to the ground making the catch.
In the 11th, Griffin Jax took over from Duran and pitched an outstanding inning, sending the White Sox back to the hutch without troubling the score.
The Twins couldn't take advantage, however, despite Castro stealing third base with one out, meaning a sac-fly was all that was needed from Kirilloff. Instead, Kirilloff lined out to a fantastic catch from Yasmani Grandal at first, with Grandal then catching a Gallo bunt a few pitches later.
Emilio Pagan, so often criticized in high-leverage situations, was lights out in the top of the 12th, giving the Twins another prime opportunity to win when they loaded up the bases.
Christian Vazquez hit into a double play at home and first, but Jeffers ensured the Twins wouldn't rue the play in the next at-bat, singling to right for what is his first career walkoff.
Raised on the Isle of Man, Adam has 15 years experience as a reporter and editor at regional and national level in the U.K. and the U.S. He moved to Minnesota in 2014 and became a writer for Bring Me The News. He is now the co-owner and editor of Bring Me The News and Bring Me The Sports, mixing in some occasional sports writing with his other editorial duties. He lists his three great loves as his family, Liverpool F.C. and baked beans (the British kind).