Can any left-handed batter on the White Sox get a hit this week?

Yasmani Grandal

The White Sox missed an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central Division race on Wednesday.

Chicago's ace, Lucas Giolito, had a mediocre outing, allowing three earned runs over six innings, and the Sox managed only two hits in a 5-1 loss to Minnesota.

The Sox (32-17) could have increased their division lead to four games, but instead, the Twins (31-20) are within two games of the lead with 11 games to play. The fourth and final game of this series is at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Giolito gave up a solo home run to Eddie Rosario in the second inning, and a two-run homer to Byron Buxton in the fourth. Miguel Sano tacked on a two-run homer for the Twins in the eighth off Matt Foster.

Jose Abreu's home run in the fourth accounted for the only Sox run. Aside from that, the South Siders managed only a leadoff single from Tim Anderson in the first inning.

But here's what bothers me about the Sox offense right now: They have gotten nothing from the guys who swing from the left side of the plate -- Nomar Mazara and switch hitters Yasmani Grandal and Yoan Moncada.

We all know the Sox are undefeated against left-handed starters this year, so the Twins are wisely stacking up right-handed starters in this four-game series. We can't say that strategy has worked, because the Sox have won two of the first three. However, they've done it solely with contributions from right-handed hitters.

Here's how the lefty and switch hitters have fared through the first three games:

Grandal: 0 for 11, 4 Ks, 1 BB, 1 run scored

Moncada: 0 for 9, 4 Ks, 3 BBs, 2 runs scored

Mazara: 0 for 6, 2 Ks

Thank goodness for those walks, huh? That's 0 for 26 with 10 strikeouts.

The Twins will throw their best right-handed starter at the Sox on Thursday, Kenta Maeda (5-1, 2.43 ERA). The Sox will counter with Reynaldo Lopez (1-2, 5.52 ERA). 

Maeda has been tough on right-handed batters throughout his career, holding them to a .194/.244/.333 slash line. He's been even more effective this season. Right-handers are slashing .127/.138/.241 against him.

Lefties have fared better: .179/.238/.308 this season, and .250/.322/.424 career.

In other words, it would really help the Sox to get something out of Grandal, Moncada or Mazara on Thursday.