HOUSTON -- After several Twins players were critical of Chance Sisco bunting against a shift with Baltimore down seven runs in the ninth inning of Minnesota's 7-0 win Sunday -- saying it violated one of the unwritten rules of baseball -- Orioles first baseman Chris Davis came to Sisco's defense and said he would have done the same if faced with the same situation.
"There are certain things I don't agree with, when you talk about the unwritten rules, but I definitely think that what Chance did was warranted," Davis said prior to Monday's game against the Astros. "He was trying to help us win the ballgame. In fact, I told him, if you had made that first out that inning, I was going to lay a bunt down.
"I think a lot of it has gotten blown out of proportion, it's turned into a sensitivity contest. At the end of the day, your job is to go out and try to win the game."
With Minnesota starter Jose Berrios pitching a one-hitter, the Twins employed a shift against the left-handed-hitting rookie Sisco, who bunted for a single that rolled down the third-base line in an unoccupied area of the infield.

"We had one hit at the time. We're down seven runs, the starter is still in the game. We're clearly not getting it done swinging the bats. You have to find a way to get runners on base. We got to find a way to generate some offense, so I have no problem with it. I think it's a non-issue, and I hope it ends.
"For whatever reason, it's been OK and really accepted these last few years to try and win the game without hurting the other team's feelings. Is it acceptable to shift with a seven-run lead in the ninth inning? It's acceptable to bunt."
Among the Twins who voiced their displeasure were Berrios and James Dozier.