MINNEAPOLIS — A simple way to determine whether Taj Bradley will have a strong start on that particular day is watching how his first inning unfolds.

For the bulk of Bradley’s starts this season, if he pitches a clean first inning, he typically has a solid outing. If an opposing lineup scores on him, typically it happens right away.

Bradley’s first inning Wednesday spelled disaster for the Twins in an 8-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Bradley allowed five of the first six White Sox batters to reach base in a four-run, 28-pitch first inning.

It was the first time the Twins were shut out in a game this season, notching their first hit when Luke Keaschall hit a two-out single with two outs in the fifth inning. The Baltimore Orioles are the only remaining team with zero shutout losses.

After playing the White Sox seven times in the last 10 days, the Twins finished with a 3-4 record.

Bradley, whose record dropped to 5-2, has allowed 24 runs in 11 starts this year. He’s posted an 8.18 ERA in the first inning, and a 2.54 ERA in any other inning.

Bradley started his afternoon with the bases loaded and no outs within his first 10 pitches through two singles and a seven-pitch walk. Bradley struck out Colson Montgomery, pumping a 99-mph fastball past him, before the inning snowballed.

The first run scored when Bradley issued a bases-loaded, eight-pitch walk to Chase Meidroth. Rookie infielder Jacob Gonzalez, who struck out in six of his first 10 at-bats, followed with a two-run single through the middle of the infield.

The White Sox made it a four-run first inning when Bradley fielded a comebacker, and he threw to second base in hopes of starting a double play. Meidroth dashed to the plate on Bradley’s throw, which developed too slowly to even elicit a second throw toward first base.

Bradley didn’t give up any more runs after the first inning, but he never showed consistent command of his pitches. He walked five batters, matching his single-game career high. He threw 104 pitches to record 14 outs.

The White Sox left two runners on base in the second, wasted a leadoff double in the third, and stranded two more runners in the fourth. Bradley, who struck out five, exited after giving up a two-out double in the fifth inning.

Bradley, making his third start back from the injured list, has allowed four runs in each of his last two starts. The Twins need him to be at his best, especially with pitchers Bailey Ober, Mick Abel and Kendry Rojas on the IL.

The White Sox added a run in the sixth inning against reliever Eric Orze. Tristan Gray bobbled a grounder and threw the ball away, committing two errors on a grounder from Rikuu Nishida, and Sam Antonacci followed with an RBI double. Gray ended the game with three errors.

Antonacci, who reached base six times and had four hits, hit a leadoff double that Twins left fielder Trevor Larnach missed when leaping at the wall. Two batters later, Montgomery smacked a two-run homer off Cody Laweryson.

White Sox starter Erick Fedde yielded two singles and one walk in five innings, retiring each of his first 11 batters. Austin Martin hit a two-out single in the ninth inning and he advanced to third on a bloop single from Victor Caratini, becoming the only Twins baserunner to reach third base all game.

Next up for the Twins is a four-game home series against the Kansas City Royals, completing a stretch where they play 17 games in 17 days.

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