Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez was once again placed on the Injured List with a bad back. Josh Smith was called up to take his place. So much for Hector.
After last night's 17 inning the disaster the Boston Red Sox were looking for revenge on the Minnesota Twins. The Twins snapped Boston's 6 game win streak and the Sox snapped them in tonight's game. Riding the mediocre hand of Eduardo Rodriguez (8-4, 4.71 ERA), the Sox fell behind 4-3 before exploding for 6 unanswered runs. Brock "The Hitman" Holt drove in 3 runs, Michael "The Ice Horse" Chavis drove in two and the Sox stomped on the Twins 9-4 at Target Field.
Twins starter Kyle Gibson cruised in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to short to begin before Andrew Benintendi popped up to second. JD Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. The Twins wasted no time scoring on Rodriguez in the bottom of the first inning. Max Kepler popped up to first but CJ Cron singled. Nelson Cruz doubled into the gap but Jackie Bradley Jr fired a bullet to nail Cron at the plate. All that work was for naught as Eddie Rosario singled home Cruz to give the Twins the lead. Miguel Sano whiffed to end the inning but the Twins led 1-0.
The Sox struck back in the top of the second inning as Rafael Devers singled to center to begin. Xander Bogaerts walked and The Hitman singled home Devers to tie the game. Ice Horse singled home Bogaerts to give the Sox the lead before JBJ drew a walk. Sandy Leon whiffed but Mr. Mookie beat out an infield single to third to score Holt. Benintendi popped up to third and Martinez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
Luis Arraez walked to start the bottom of the second but Jake Cave whiffed. Willians Astudillo singled to right but Jason Castro flied out to left. Kepler whiffed to end the inning.
Devers flied out to right to begin the top of the third before Bogaerts whiffed. Holt grounded out to short to end the inning. The Twins responded in the bottom of the third although Cron grounded back to the mound to start. Cruz walked but Rosario struck out swinging. Sano walked and Arraez singled home Cruz. Cave took strike three to end the inning but the Sox only led 3-2.
The Sox blew a chance to add insurance in the top of the fourth inning as Chavis struck out swinging to start. JBJ drew a walk but Leon flied out to center. Mr. Mookie walked but Benintendi grounded out to first to end the inning. The Twins took command in the bottom of the fourth as Astudillo smashed a 34,000 foot home run to tie the game. Castro lined out to third but Kepler croaked a 300,000 foot bomb to give the Twins the lead. Cron grounded out to second and Cruz grounded out to third but the Twins now led 4-3.
The Sox immediately responded in the top of the fifth as Martinez walked to start. Devers singled and Bogaerts doubled home JD to tie the game. All of a sudden Devers keeled over and had to be carried out on a stretcher, Eduardo Nunez taking his place on the base paths. Nunez scored on the sac fly by Holt as Chavis scored Bogaerts with a base hit to increase the lead. That was it for Gibson as Ryne Harper was brought in. JBJ flied out to right but Leon walked. Mr. Mookie struck out swinging to end the inning but the Sox took the lead 6-4.
Rodriguez reovered in the bottom of the fifth although Rosario singled to the right of Eduardo to start.. Sano whiffed, Arraez grounded out to second and Cave went down swinging to end the inning.
Sean Poppen came in for the top of the sixth and Benintendi walked to start. The rally ended as Martinez banged into a double play although Nunez doubled. Bogaerts grounded out to short to end the inning. Rodriguez was still strong in the bottom of the sixth as Astudillo flied out to right to begin. Castro flied out to center and Kepler went down hacking to end the inning.
Holt walked to begin the top of the seventh but Chavis hit into a double play. JBJ fanned to end the inning and Rodriguez finished strong in the bottom of the seventh. Cron grounded out to short, Cruz took strike three and Rosario grounded out to short to end the inning. It wasn't pretty but Eduardo went 7 innings, allowing 4 runs while striking out 9.
Boston iced it in the top of the eighth although Leon went down swinging to start. Betts motored around with a triple and he scored on the Benintendi doubled. Martinez drove home Andrew with a base hit and Nunez doubled Martinez to third. Bogaerts walked to load the bases and Holt walked home Martinez. Chavis grounded into a double play to end the inning but it was 9-4 Sox.
Matt Barnes came in for the bottom of the eighth and Sano grounded out to short to start. Arraez walked but was erased on the Cave force. Astudillo singled to short but Castro flied out to left to end the inning.
JBJ lined out to left to start the top of the ninth before Leon flied out to center. Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to end the inning. Marcus Walden had mop up duty in the bottom of the ninth and Kepler grounded out to second to begin. Cron grounded out to third before Cruz whiffed to end the game. The Sox had taken 2 of 3 from the Twins on the road including this game 9-4.
Hero of the Night is Brock Holt. He drove in 3 big runs including the go-ahead one to put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 5 with a walk, rbi and run scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 2 with a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and 2 runs scored.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5 with 2 runs batted in.
Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Marcus Walden pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
None.
The Ugly:
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored.
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but walked, drove in a run and scored twice.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but walked twice.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Eduardo Rodriguez earned the win by allowing 4 runs in 7 innings of work. He allowed 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9.
Final Thoughts:
Now that was more like it. That was the first big series win on the road for the Sox in a long time. If the bullpen didn't mess its pants Tuesday night this would have been their eighth straight win and a series sweep. Still, winning 2 out of 3 in Minnesota is nothing to sneeze at. Every time Chris Sale pitches they struggle but every time Rodriguez pitches they find a way to win. The win improved the Sox to 41-33, 6.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox come home Friday to start a 6 game homestand before heading to London. The Toronto Blue Jays are first on the agenda with Trent Thornton on the mound against Chris Sale (3-7, 3.49 ERA) Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
Final Thoughts:
Now that was more like it. That was the first big series win on the road for the Sox in a long time. If the bullpen didn't mess its pants Tuesday night this would have been their eighth straight win and a series sweep. Still, winning 2 out of 3 in Minnesota is nothing to sneeze at. Every time Chris Sale pitches they struggle but every time Rodriguez pitches they find a way to win. The win improved the Sox to 41-33, 6.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox come home Friday to start a 6 game homestand before heading to London. The Toronto Blue Jays are first on the agenda with Trent Thornton on the mound against Chris Sale (3-7, 3.49 ERA) Friday night at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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