MINNEAPOLIS -- Lucas Giolito turned in the best start of this young 2023 season during the White Sox 3-1 loss to the Twins on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field.

But it was an odd fourth inning that ultimately led to a loss for Giolito, even though he allowed just one earned run over six innings and 108 pitches, and struck out seven.

Ryan Jeffers opened the fourth with a fly ball to right, featuring an 88.9 mph exit velocity, per Statcast, and looking fairly routine. Right fielder Gavin Sheets, a first baseman by trade but a young player who has worked diligently to learn the outfield, took a step or two in but fell to the ground as he tried to break back.

Jeffers’ drive sailed over Sheets’ head for a leadoff triple.

“Frustrating in the moment, but those things happen playing this game,” Giolito said. “A lot of different factors; sun balls and things like that. It’s all about flushing what just happened and moving on to the next pitch and staying focused in the moment.”

Sheets felt he would have caught the ball had he stayed on his feet.

“It was unfortunate. [Giolito] had been jamming guys all day, threw the ball extremely well,” Sheets said. “I thought he got jammed a little better, [I] took a hard step in and kind of got turned around with the ball fading into the wind. I feel terrible in that situation, especially with the way Gio is throwing the ball.

“Especially to not get an error there and get that earned on him. It’s the best I’ve seen him throw probably this year, and maybe in a while. You just move on. I feel bad for Gio and this team. That cost us a run in a game that they have Sonny Gray throwing the ball really well. It’s just not a good feeling.”

After retiring Trevor Larnach on a foul pop to third baseman Hanser Alberto, Giolito hit Kyle Farmer on the jaw with a high-and-inside 91.6 mph four-seam fastball. Giolito was visibly distraught with Farmer on the ground in pain and clapped into his glove on the mound as Farmer eventually was helped off the field.

A five-pitch walk to rookie Edouard Julien followed, loading the bases with one out.

“My gosh, you never want to see that in a game,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “I was just hoping and praying that it nicked him or something like that, but I guess it squared him up pretty good. My prayers go out for him and his recovery.”

“It’s something that obviously I feel very very bad about. Never want to hit anyone up there,” Giolito said. “It will rattle you in the moment, but you have to do what you can to regain focus in the situation, continue to make good pitches, get out of the situation. And maintain that focus throughout the rest of the game. Now thinking about it a little bit more, obviously hoping that Farmer’s OK.”

Michael A. Taylor drove in the lone run off Giolito with a slow roller to first baseman Andrew Vaughn for a 1-0 lead. Vaughn bobbled the grounder, costing him a possible play at the plate on Jeffers, and stepped on the base to take the out.

Even with the lack of luck in the fourth, Giolito was outstanding. He topped out at 95.6 mph, according to Statcast, but praised his gameplan with catcher Seby Zavala for the move forward from his last rough start in Pittsburgh.

“Just having a better plan and having better fastballs up in the zone. That was a big difference-maker,” Giolito said. “Looking back, I wasn’t seeing crazy ride numbers. It was more location over stuff.

“Facing good big league hitters, facing a lineup two or three times over, it’s all about location. Seby did a really really nice job of commanding the game calling and we were able to work pretty well.”

The White Sox dropped to 0-3-1 in series this season. When they have hit consistently, the pitching has struggled. The pitching was there this series, but the hitting and defense were not.

“Not all things are going to be firing on all cylinders at the same time,” Giolito said. “I wish I got off to a better start to the season, but today gives me a lot more confidence. Just have to make sure I have my game plan set, I’m throwing fastballs that need to be thrown and working my other stuff off of it.”