MINNEAPOLIS -- Adam Engel wasn¡¯t in the White Sox starting lineup on Friday night, despite the Twins sending left-handed starter Devin Smeltzer to the mound.

Engel stayed prepared and came through with the biggest at-bat of the game after he replaced Luis Robert in center field, as his three-run homer in the seventh helped Chicago win its fourth straight game with a 6-2 victory at Target Field.

Engel entered in the bottom of the second inning after Robert was taken out with lightheadedness.

¡°As soon as somebody goes down early like that, obviously you hope that there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with him,¡± Engel said. ¡°You got to get right into game mode. You got to try and get going in a way that you can find a way to contribute and help the team win.¡±

Robert walked in his at-bat in the first inning and came around to score on Andrew Vaughn¡¯s two-run single, sliding around Twins catcher Gary S¨¢nchez to swipe his hand across the plate. Robert misplayed a liner from Carlos Correa in center field in the first, leading to an error.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa didn¡¯t have an update on Robert after the game.

¡°Just took him out because he was a little lightheaded, and they¡¯re going to check and see what it is,¡± La Russa said. ¡°He¡¯s in there now, but we¡¯ll see. ¡­ He just said he was lightheaded, and I just took him out right away.¡±

Engel has made just two starts since coming off the injured list on July 3 after recovering from a strained hamstring. But the White Sox and La Russa appreciate the way Engel has handled himself in the reserve role.

¡°That¡¯s just the right guy to have that happen, right?¡± La Russa said of Engel coming through with the home run. ¡°Ultimate team guy. Left-handed starter, he didn¡¯t say a word. I¡¯m sure he wanted to be in there. Just the ultimate team man and he¡¯s also a hell of an athlete, too.¡±

Robert would have been in prime position in the seventh. Tim Anderson singled and Yo¨¢n Moncada walked with one out against Minnesota reliever Griffin Jax. Instead it was Engel, who sent Jax¡¯s pitch just over the wall in left field for his first home run since May 15.

¡°What a clutch at-bat that was,¡± La Russa said.

Engel wanted to be patient and was comforted knowing Jos¨¦ Abreu was hitting behind him. So, Engel just wanted to keep the line moving.

¡°Certainly not trying to hit a home run right there,¡± Engel said. ¡°Jos¨¦ is behind me, one of the best RBI collectors in the game. So, in that situation, I¡¯m just trying to get on base and let [Jos¨¦] do his job. And every now and again, the game rewards you for that.¡±

It was the first three-run homer for Engel since July 11, 2021, at Baltimore and it helped Chicago (45-45) get to .500 and climb within three games of the first-place Twins (49-43) in the American League Central race. The White Sox have taken the first two games of an important division showdown heading into next week¡¯s All-Star break.

¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ve made some mental mistakes, myself being one of those guys. And throughout the season that¡¯s cost us more games than we¡¯d like to give up,¡± Engel said. ¡°But I think we¡¯re starting to play cleaner baseball. Our offense is kind of relaxing and getting into a groove.

¡°I¡¯m really excited. We¡¯re having a lot of fun right now. That¡¯s part of it, as well. I think as we get going here, just keep playing good baseball, keep having fun, and I¡¯m excited to see where this goes.¡±