Pablo Lopez shined on the mound, finally allowing the Twins’ lineup to get going.

The Minnesota Twins entered Wednesday’s series finale against the Chicago White Sox stuck in a frustrating early-season funk—and then, the rain came.

A 3-hour, 20-minute delay pushed back first pitch and left the team stuck in a holding pattern at Guaranteed Rate Field.

But instead of letting the delay derail them, the Twins found rhythm in the chaos, riding a dominant outing from Pablo López and a power surge at the plate to a 6-1 victory and their first series win of 2025.

“I was going insane,” López said of the delay. “It’s hard to turn it off and then turn it back on. But I was able to relax a little bit.”

López, who also dealt with a rain delay on Opening Day, took a pregame nap for the first time in his career—just like teammate Byron Buxton, who later joked that the nap gave him “a little extra juice.” On the 10th pitch of the afternoon, Buxton launched a 466-foot solo homer to center field, giving the Twins an early jolt.

From there, López set the tone. He retired 14 of his first 15 batters and didn’t allow a walk, scattering four hits and one run over seven innings. The only blemish was a solo homer by Brooks Baldwin in the seventh. Otherwise, he was clinical, throwing 12 pitches in the first inning—two for strikeouts—and keeping the White Sox off balance throughout.

Pablo Lopez dominates on the mound for Twins

Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at

Guaranteed Rate Field.

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

“I talked about it with some of the guys: ‘Let’s just go out there and attack,’” López said. “For the first three, four games, we carried away from that mentality.”

The Twins backed their ace with timely offense. Buxton’s leadoff homer set the tone, and Harrison Bader followed up in the fourth with a three-run blast to left, extending the lead to 4-0.

Bader now leads the team with three home runs and eight RBIs, all coming off right-handed pitchers—traditionally a weak spot in his career.

“There’s obviously more to it than just pure numbers,” Bader said. “Every time you get a chance to be in a lineup, you get a chance to change that perception.”

Carlos Correa also broke out of his 0-for-18 slump, hitting a single in the third and doubling in the fifth. After reaching first, he lifted his arms in mock celebration as teammates jokingly called for the ball to be saved like a milestone hit.

“No frustration, just relief,” Correa said. “I didn’t know what to do anymore.”

Defensively, Buxton and Correa added to their strong nights with highlight-reel catches in swirling wind conditions. With the win, the Twins moved to 2-4 on the season, joining a five-way tie atop the AL Central.

“It’s like, ‘OK, we remember how to win,’” López said. “Once you get that first one, it’s easier to find your groove.”

With the rain delay behind them and momentum finally building, the Twins return home for their opener against the Houston Astros on Thursday, hoping this victory signals a turning point.