Tristan Gray Shines as Twins Defeat White Sox 9-6

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 01: Tristan Gray #4 of the Minnesota Twins takes an at-bat against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning at Target Field on June 01, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Twins showcased their offensive prowess in a thrilling 9-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox, with Tristan Gray delivering a standout performance. Despite some vulnerabilities in their pitching lineup, Gray's contributions were crucial, allowing his teammates to pitch with confidence.

After struggling with just one hit against pitcher David Sandlin in their last encounter, the Twins came out swinging in the first inning, quickly racking up three hits. With Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens both reaching base, Trevor Larnach stepped up and secured a two-out single, giving Minnesota an early advantage.

However, a mistake by Victor Caratini in the third inning allowed the White Sox to tie the game. After an error on a foul tip, Andrew Benintendi capitalized on the extra opportunity, hitting a single to bring the score to 1-1. Just when it seemed the error might haunt them, Gray stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the fourth. He didn’t disappoint, launching a curveball into the right field bleachers for a grand slam, pushing the Twins ahead 5-1.

The White Sox responded in the fifth with back-to-back home runs from Miguel Vargas and Benintendi, narrowing the gap to 5-4. Nevertheless, the Twins struck back, scoring two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, aided by consecutive hits and sacrifice flies from Luke Keaschall and Gray. With a five-run cushion, manager Derek Shelton utilized Kody Funderburk and Yoendrys Gomez for scoreless innings, before Travis Adams closed out the game despite a few scares. The Twins sealed the victory, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Gray finished the night with an impressive line of 1-3, five RBIs, including the grand slam, while Larnach added 2-3 with an RBI. Tomorrow's matchup promises to be exciting as rookie Connor Prielipp faces breakout All-Star candidate Davis Martin, with Gray holding a perfect record against Martin in his career.