Michael Pineda missed the past 19 Twins games while recovering from an inflammation in his right elbow.
He said he felt like "the same Michael Pineda," with no lingering effects from the injury, but his return to the rotation Wednesday was record-setting in a negative way.
Pineda gave up 12 hits, the most he's allowed in his 10 big-league seasons, in a 6-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. It was the first time he'd given up double digit hits in a Twins uniform.
Pineda lasted 5⅓ innings and gave up five earned runs with no walks and four strikeouts, and said afterward he needed to locate his slider better.
The White Sox, leading the American League Central, won the series 2-1 and moved 15½ games ahead of the last-place Twins.
"In general terms, I think he is healthy," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Pineda. "But being at your best when you're out there on the mound and being healthy sometimes are two different things."
A former Twin, Lance Lynn, was on the mound for the White Sox. Lynn is one of four former Twins pitchers (the White Sox's Liam Hendriks, the Rangers' Kyle Gibson and the Astros' Ryan Pressly) who have been named All-Stars this season. He pitched in 20 games for the Twins in 2018.
Lynn struck out six in six innings and gave up four hits and three walks, improving his record to 9-3 and his ERA to 1.99.
"You're going to have to piece it together off him," Baldelli said of Lynn. "You're not going to go out there and turn the tables on him and start knocking the ball all over the place."
For the second game in a row, a two-run second inning for the White Sox (51-35) proved insurmountable for the Twins (35-50) as the bullpen failed to keep the game manageable for the offense.
Adam Engel, activated by the White Sox after designating Adam Eaton for assignment Wednesday morning, doubled to left in the top of the second and scored when Leury Garcia hit an 85-mph slider into the seats for his third home run of the season.
Luis Arraez was responsible for the Twins' only hits in the first three innings, a leadoff double to start the bottom of the first and a single to center in the third. Both times he was stranded; the Twins finished the game 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
BOXSCORE: White Sox 6, Twins 1
The only Twins run came when Trevor Larnach homered in the fourth. The 430-foot shot to center was the ninth home run allowed by Lynn in 16 starts. The Twins threatened again in the same inning after Lynn dealt back-to-back walks to Alex Kirilloff and Max Kepler, but Nick Gordon and Ben Rortvedt struck out.
Shortstop Tim Anderson, who went 4-for-4, had an RBI double in the fifth to push the White Sox's lead to 3-1. In the sixth, Engel hit his second double of the day, stole third base, and was driven in on an RBI triple by García. After Jake Burger's double drove in Garcia, Baldelli pulled Pineda in favor of righthander Derek Law.
"I think I lost a little bit of my location, especially for my slider," Pineda said. "I need to just keep pushing and keep grinding on the mound and try to be better and execute my pitches better."
Brian Goodwin had an RBI double in the seventh off Law. The ninth inning was the only one that didn't feature a hit by the White Sox. They finished with 15 hits, eight for extra bases.
