A lefthanded pitcher who started this season in Independent baseball held down the Twins for five innings, paving the way for the Chicago White Sox to win 6-4 Friday in Chicago.
The Twins, who've scored just six runs in their last 27 innings, reinstated Byron Buxton and Marwin Golzalez off the injured list for Saturday's game at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Combined, Buxton and Gonzalez have 18 home runs, 64 RBI's, and 68 runs scored, helping the Twins to a 52-29 record at the halfway mark of the regular season.
They remain 8 games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the AL Central.
Ross Detwiler allowed two runs on six hits for his first big-league win since 2016.
His contract was recently purchased from Class AAA Charlotte, who had signed Detwiler away from the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League.
"This is awesome, especially to do it here in Chicago," Detwiler said. "I've been back to the minors a little bit and Indie ball. It's been a tough road, but you know, we're here."
The Twins' only offense was a pair of two-run homers by Miguel Sano, while Jose Berrios rescued a taxed bullpen with 7 1/3 innings of work.
The loss came after the Twins used their entire bullpen in Thursday's 18-inning setback to Tampa Bay.
"I gave the team a chance to win," Berrios said. "It's always going to hurt when we lose, for me, for everyone here. But I need to take a good point for me: the bullpen rested a little bit tonight."
The Twins began the game with Luis Arraez and LaMonte Wade Jr. at the corner outfield positions. Both began the season in the minors, and Wade was making his major league debut.
Wade was sent down to Class AAA Rochester along with Jake Cave, to make room for the return of Buxton and Gonzalez.
James McCann lofted the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for his ninth homer and a 2-0 Chicago lead in the first.
With two outs in the second, Sano's 10th homer tied it.
The Twins loaded the bases on three straight walks in the seventh, but Jose Rondon snared Jorge Polanco's hard grounder at third to start a double play.
MORE ROSTER MOVES
The Twins optioned LHP Zack Littell to Triple-A Rochester and recalled LHP Lewis Thorpe.
TRAINER'S ROOM
The Twins placed OF Eddie Rosario on the 10-day IL (left ankle sprain) before Friday's game, retroactive to Thursday. Rosario, who leads Minnesota with 20 home runs, got hurt Wednesday running the bases in the third inning against Tampa Bay. ... Minnesota activated INF Ehire Adrianza from the 10-day injured list (abdominal issues) and started him at shortstop. He had a triple, single and a walk.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Michael Pineda (4-4, 5.02) faces White Sox RHP Ivan Nova (3-6, 5.91) on Saturday in the second game of the series. Neither has won since late May.