Minnesota @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2018 ) Minnesota 5, Chi. White Sox 2

Former MVP Joe Mauer is approaching two major milestones as his Minnesota Twins go for a two-game sweep Wednesday afternoon, when they visit the American League Central-rival Chicago White Sox. Mauer recorded two hits in Tuesday’s 5-2 victory and is one away of tying Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew (2,085) for second place on the franchise list while pulling within one run of 1,000 for his career.

Eddie Rosario knocked in the go-ahead run and Jorge Polanco followed with a two-run single in the ninth inning as the Twins won for the sixth time in eight contests while remaining 13 games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. Kyle Gibson gets the start for Minnesota on Wednesday while the red-hot Carlos Rodon will go for the White Sox, who lost for just the second time in seven games. Slugger Jose Abreu underwent outpatient groin/abdomen surgery on Tuesday and will be lost for the next two weeks after going 11-for-28 with 11 RBIs over his last seven contests. Chicago's Yolmer Sanchez saw his nine-game hitting streak end on Tuesday, but Nicky Delmonico homered to extend his run to seven games.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (7-9, 3.51 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (4-3, 2.69)

Gibson posted back-to-back quality starts against Detroit in his last two outings, allowing four runs over 14 innings with nine strikeouts and five walks. The 30-year-old native of Indiana has registered 144 strikeouts, one shy of the career high he set in 2015, and is 0-1 while giving up eight runs over 13 2/3 frames against the White Sox in 2018. Yoan Moncada is 3-for-7 versus Gibson, who is 6-3 with a 2.77 ERA against Chicago.

Rodon is unbeaten in seven starts and worked eight innings in each of his last two turns, allowing four hits in a scoreless outing against Cleveland on Aug. 10 before giving up three runs in a triumph over Detroit five days later. The 25-year-old Floridian has served up just one homer in his last six games after giving up seven in the first six turns this year. Mauer is 3-for-9 versus Rodon, who is 4-2 with a 3.50 ERA against the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox MGR Rick Renteria was released from a hospital in Minnesota on Tuesday morning after experiencing light-headedness and will undergo further tests in Chicago.

2. The Twins did not go deep Tuesday but have launched 15 homers in their last six games.

3. Chicago placed OF Leury Garcia (hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled OF Ryan LaMarre from Triple-A Charlotte.

PREDICTION: Twins 4, White Sox 3