Twins make more HR history on Schoop's 20th
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CHICAGO -- The Twins are well on their way to becoming the most prolific home run-hitting team in Major League history, taking down record after record along the way.
Minnesota tied another MLB mark on Wednesday night in an 8-2 victory over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, when Jonathan Schoop, who homered twice in the game, turned on a 1-1 fastball from White Sox starter Ross Detwiler in the second inning for his 20th home run.
Schoop became the seventh Twins player to hit 20 or more home runs this season, which ties an MLB record. Seven other clubs have done this, with the most recent being the 2018 Dodgers.
It shouldn’t be long before the record falls, as All-Star shortstop Jorge Polanco sits on 19 home runs. Marwin Gonzalez, who has 15, could also join the list before the season ends.
“Polanco is a good hitter, so he's going to get it," Schoop said.
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The Twins’ victory moves them an even 30 games above .500 at 81-51, but because of the Indians’ win over the Tigers, Minnesota's lead in the American League Central remains 3 1/2 games.
Schoop's three-run shot in the second inning traveled a projected 403 feet, according to Statcast, into the left-field seats and gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead. The record-tying blast would be all Twins starter Jake Odorizzi needed, as he allowed just two runs over six innings to earn his 14th win of the season.
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After adding two runs in the third inning, Schoop and catcher Mitch Garver added more insurance when both clobbered a towering home run in the eighth to extend the Twins' lead to 8-2.
“When you make a mistake, they definitely hurt you,” Detwiler said. “Everybody's seen how many home runs they have.”
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Like the rest of the Twins, Schoop’s home runs have come in bunches, and he now has five multihomer games in 2019.
“[Schoop] is going to be good for us down the stretch, because he's got experience,” said Odorizzi, whom Schoop is 12-for-34 (.353) in his career against. “He's a 30-plus home run hitter in the past. With him not getting consistent playing time, it's hard for him to get into a nice groove. Now that he's starting to play a bunch, he's getting into that groove that I've seen him be in multiple times over my career. It's nice to have it on my same team as opposed to having to face him.”
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Minnesota has now homered 258 times this season and are just nine home runs shy of tying the Yankees’ MLB single-season record 267 home runs, which was set last season. If the regular season ended today, the Twins’ Major League-leading .501 slugging percentage would be the highest in MLB history.
Minnesota’s approach at the plate has not changed despite the historic power numbers. The Twins still rank fourth in MLB in batting average (.271) and sixth in on-base percentage (.337).
“Our guys have done a great job on focusing on what’s going on today and focusing on today’s game,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. We’ve had some great nights, team-wise and individually. Looking at it briefly right now, yeah, it’s nice to be where we’re at, but you get there by performing and consistently coming in every day and getting ready to play and then going out there and doing it.”