White Sox' inability to 'cash in' scoring opportunities costly in loss to Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — Trailing the Twins 2-1 with run-ners on first and third after back-to-back singles by Nick Maton and Andrew Benintendi, and with Luis Robert Jr. up to bat, the White Sox had a prime opportunity to score and take control in the fifth inning Tuesday night.

And then . . . nothing.

Robert was called out on strikes after he didn’t swing at a fastball near the zone. Andrew Vaughn promptly grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the ninth, down 4-1, the Sox set themselves up again, loading the bases against closer Jhoan Duran. But the offense mustered just one run when Lenyn Sosa scored on a ground out by Maton. Twins center fielder Byron Buxton made a game-ending diving catch to rob Benintendi of a potential hit. And with that, the Sox dropped the first of a three-game series 4-2.

They went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and have lost eight of their last nine.

“[We had] a lot of good at-bats where we were able to create some traffic,” manager Will Venable said afterward. “We’ve just got to find a way to cash in, you know? I mean, it’s as simple as that.”

Unlike many recent games in which the offense was held in check, there was promise Tuesday. Rookie catcher Edgar Quero went 3-for-4 with a run scored, and the Sox outhit the Twins 10-5. But they couldn’t get the extra-base hit they needed, and Vaughn and Robert — the two main power hitters — were at the center of the problem. The Sox (5-18) took good swings against Twins starter Bailey Ober (2-1), who entered with a 6.16 ERA and allowed eight hits in his six innings, but they failed to capitalize on the chances they created.

Vaughn went 0-for-4. Robert finished 1-for-4 with a double in the first.

“We just have to keep going,” Venable said. [Vaughn and Robert have] been working incredibly hard. They put themselves in good positions to take good swings, and it’s going to turn here.”

The Sox came in with the second-lowest batting average in the majors with runners in scoring position (.176), and the third-fewest RBI in that situation.

Venable commended them for continuing to fight, but at some point, moral victories need to turn into actual wins.

“We can probably do a better job of situational hitting,” Benintendi said. “[The Twins have] a good staff, they’ve got good pitchers, starters and in the bullpen, so runs come at a premium. We’ve got to do a little better job of that.”