Twins demolished by White Sox, pitcher David Sandlin in 15-2 loss

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on May 27, 2026

Published in Baseball

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CHICAGO – Byron Buxton welcomed Chicago White Sox right-hander David Sandlin to the major leagues, hitting a 417-foot homer to center field on the second pitch of Sandlin’s debut.

Sandlin proceeded to show the Minnesota Twins throughout the rest of his outing Wednesday why the White Sox could be a formidable team this summer. Sandlin didn’t allow another batter to reach base across his six-inning outing, retiring the next 18 hitters as the Twins were demolished 15-2 at Rate Field.

Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp, making his seventh career start, allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings on a season-high eight hits and three walks.

It matched the most runs the Twins have surrendered in a game this season, to go with an identical 15-2 loss to the Washinton Nationals on May 6. Their pitchers also yielded a season-high 18 hits Wednesday. The game turned so ugly that the Twins resorted to using a position player to pitch for the first time this year, with infielder Orlando Arcia getting the eighth inning.

Sandlin, 25, punched his hand into his glove when he struck out catcher Alex Jackson on a called third strike in the sixth inning, then let out a yell after he induced an inning-ending flyout against Buxton. The announced crowd of 14,796 honored him with an ovation.

Buxton successfully challenged Sandlin’s first pitch, which was off the outside corner, then drilled a low 97-mph fastball for a solo homer. It was the 24th leadoff homer of Buxton’s career, four behind Brian Dozier for the Twins team record.

It was all downhill for the Twins afterward. The Twins didn’t have another hitter reach base until Kody Clemens hit a solo homer off White Sox reliever Brandon Eisert in the eighth inning, snapping a string of 21 consecutive outs. By that point, Chicago had scored 14 unanswered runs.

The White Sox took the lead in the second inning after they started with two singles and a sacrifice bunt. Sam Antonacci hit a one-hop comebacker to the mound, which deflected off Prielipp’s glove and over the heads of the Twins’ infielders for a two-run single.

Prielipp, who threw 60 pitches through his first three innings, gave up an RBI double to Colson Montgomery on a 98-mph fastball in the third inning. The White Sox tallied a five-run fifth inning, putting their first three batters on base against Prielipp and producing three singles against reliever Eric Orze.

After Prielipp gave up eight earned runs through his first five starts (25 innings), he’s allowed 11 earned runs in his last two outings (8 1/3 innings).

Chicago scored one more run against Orze in the sixth inning, and five runs off Travis Adams in the seventh. Chase Meidroth hit a grand slam in the seventh inning, and Munetaka Murakami made it back-to-back homers with a solo blast to left field for his league-leading 20th home run of the season.

Those were the first two home runs given up by a Twins reliever since May 8.

Sandlin was the 10th White Sox player to debut this year, tying the 2025 Athletics for the most by a team before June this century, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The White Sox have a 12-3 record over their last 15 home games.

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