MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins returned home for a brief four-game homestand on the heels of a season-high five-game losing streak. That included three demoralizing losses at Fenway Park in Boston, each of which was a one-run defeat.
Four games -- and more importantly, four wins -- later, the Twins are now riding a season-best four-game winning streak after sweeping the Chicago White Sox. Sunday's 6-5 victory was the third consecutive one-run win for Minnesota, which now heads on the road hoping that the momentum from this weekend's sweep can continue out west against the Angels and Rangers.
"It feels great. Any time you sweep anybody it is a real good feeling, but when you have a four-game sweep, it makes it that much more gratifying for our ballclub," said Twins bench coach Terry Steinbach, who filled in for manager Ron Gardenhire after Gardenhire was ejected in the third inning. "You are going to lose your games, but what's great about this game of baseball is that you have to go out every day and play. Our guys have a good feeling here, especially playing at home."
It was the first time the Twins had swept a four-game series since beating the Royals in four games at Kauffman Stadium back in 2011. However, this weekend was the first time Minnesota had swept a four-game series in Target Field history; the Twins' last four-game sweep at home was back in 2007 against Oakland at the Metrodome.
Given that Minnesota had previously lost five in a row prior to Thursday, now was as good of a time as any to reel off four straight wins.
"We needed some wins and we got them," said Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. "We couldn't ask for anything better."
Sunday's win came despite Minnesota starter Phil Hughes not having his best stuff. Though Hughes has developed into the ace of the Twins' staff, he struggled at times on Sunday -- particularly in a five-run third inning that saw Chicago take a 5-3 lead. Hughes faced 10 batters in that inning and walked his first batter in 106 plate appearances.
Hughes lasted just five innings, matching his shortest start of the year and snapping a streak of 11 straight starts of at least six innings by Twins pitchers. The five runs he surrendered were also a season high. Given all of that, Hughes still earned his eighth win of the season as Minnesota's offense picked him up with a three-run fourth inning. That included another RBI single by first baseman Joe Mauer, who drove in six runs this series and two on Sunday.
"Everybody was great except for me today," Hughes said. "One of those sort of games."
Minnesota's bullpen picked up Hughes, tossing four scoreless innings. That included right-hander Jared Burton's first save of the year after closer Glen Perkins had pitched in each of the previous three games.
It didn't matter how the Twins got it done, but simply that they did get it done. Minnesota's players have said throughout the season that they believe they're capable of putting together a run in order to gain ground in the tight American League Central race. With Sunday's win, the Twins (36-38) are now tied with Cleveland (37-39) for third, five games back of first-place Detroit.
When Minnesota came back to Target Field after a tough road trip to Toronto, Detroit and Boston, the Twins were in fifth place and 6 1/2 games out of first place. Minnesota struggled to score runs on its last road trip, scratching across a mere two runs in three games against the Red Sox despite only allowing five runs in that stretch.
After the bats started coming to life this weekend to back up several solid outings by the starting pitching, the feeling in the clubhouse was a much more pleasant one after Minnesota secured its fourth straight win.
"The personality of the guys on our ballclub, they're very upbeat," Steinbach said. "I know we as a staff, what we want our players to do is just go out there and compete. If we do that, a lot of good things can happen. I think these four games was a good example of that. Our team competed very, very well and we came out with four victories."
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