Grandal hits 2 of 6 Sox HRs in 'beatdown'

CHICAGO -- The White Sox entered a 13-3 demolition of the Twins Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field with 18 straight runs scored without a home run.

They had not cleared the fences since Yasmani Grandal’s solo shot off Yusei Kikuchi in the second inning on June 25 vs. Seattle. That mode of offense changed greatly against Minnesota.

Five of the nine White Sox starters went deep for a total of six home runs, which was one short of matching a single-game franchise record, providing more than enough support for Dylan Cease in a third straight win for the White Sox (47-32). Their home record improved to 30-14 and they are now 7-1 against the Twins (33-45), who sit 13 1/2 games behind the American League Central leaders.

“Obviously we know what we can do when everyone is hitting stride,” Grandal said. “Whoever comes in here and tries to take us lightly is in for a rude awakening.”

“Today, I don’t know how many home runs we hit, but it felt like long outs, long fly balls and a bunch of home runs,” Cease said. “That was a beatdown pretty much.”

Brian Goodwin started the home run barrage with a 382-foot solo shot off Bailey Ober in the second inning. That drive tied the game, and Andrew Vaughn put the White Sox ahead with a 409-foot two-run drive in the same frame.

José Abreu was next, going 346 feet down the right-field line in the third for his 211th career homer, his first since June 16 and just his second in the month. Grandal connected on a three-run blast to left-center, going in and out of center fielder Nick Gordon’s glove, and Gavin Sheets was next on the drive for distance with his first career blast covering 429 feet during that six-run fifth.

Sheets, who joined the White Sox from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, has four hits in his first two victories. He also was able to retrieve the baseball from that first career home run, which was sitting in his locker as he spoke to the media.

“To get that home run tonight, I can't even describe it. Felt great off the bat,” Sheets said. “I thought I just missed the one the first at-bat, but that one had a different feeling. The coolest thing was just seeing the way the guys got excited for me, that was the best part of it all. It's been a fun two days."

“We know that he’s got the talent to be up here,” said Grandal of Sheets. “Today showed. He’s going to be a guy with lots of power. He’s got a feel for the game. He knows what he wants to do.”

Grandal homered again in the sixth, marking the third home run off Matt Shoemaker, who allowed eight runs in relief. It was Grandal’s 14th career multihomer game and gave him eight homers and 18 RBIs in June.

Cease (7-3) improved to 4-0 in eight home starts this season. He struck out seven and walked three. The White Sox entered the night last in the American League with 72 home runs, and it feels as if they matched that total on Wednesday alone by knocking out 2,411 combined feet of long balls.

“Everybody in the lineup just competing and good things happened, including home runs,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Everybody went to bat all game long just competing.”

“This offense is one of the best in the league, if not the best,” Sheets said. “Hitting is contagious, and I'm just following along with what these guys are doing, the leaders on this team. We've been putting together really good at-bats, and so I just hope we keep it going."

There were even some Wednesday ovations at Josh Donaldson’s expense, despite the Twins third baseman homering in the first inning and admiring his effort. Donaldson struck out in his next two at-bats before leaving the game.

Donaldson answered White Sox starter Lucas Giolito’s postgame criticism of his “Hey, it’s not sticky anymore” comment picked up on television after his first-inning home run Tuesday with great detail via Wednesday’s pregame Zoom. Donaldson’s comments did not go unnoticed by the White Sox, but they certainly didn’t drive this talented team.

“I ignore it, but it didn’t go unnoticed,” Grandal said. “It definitely fires you up. If anything, thanks to him for kind of getting us awakened a little bit.”

“When in doubt, you're definitely for your player. He's your family,” La Russa said. “When we play, we get fired up to play. We don't need any extra incentive."