Before the game the Boston Red Sox made some roster moves. Hector "The Insurance Policy" Velazquez was activated off the Injured List and Ryan Brasier returned from the Bereavement list. Josh Smith and Travis Lakins were sent back to Pawtucket to get those guys back on the roster. Hopefully Brasier and Velazquez keep the momentum going.
IN
In one of the most impressive wins of the season, the Boston Red Sox shut down the best team in the American League in their own park. The Minnesota Twins currently own the best record in the AL but the Sox were up to the challenge. "Slick" Rick Porcello tossed 7 shutout innings, Corey Brewer survived a scary eighth inning and Ryan Brasier slammed the door in the ninth. JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts knocked in the only two runs and when the dust settled the Sox had beaten the Twins 2-0 at Target Field.
The Sox only run off Twins starter Jose Berrios came in the top of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts singled to left to start before Andrew Benintendi singled as well. Betts made it to third but Benintendi was thrown out at second trying to advance. Martinez slammed a single to left to score Betts with the first run of the game. Rafael Devers popped up to short and Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.
Porcello took the ball in the bottom of the first inning and got Max Kepler to pop up to third to begin. Jorge Polanco grounded out to second but Nelson Cruz doubled. Eddie Rosario flied out to left to end the inning.
Berrios cruised in the top of the second inning as Brock "The Hitman" Holt lined out to center to start. Michael Chavis whiffed before Jackie Bradley Jr grounded out to first to end the inning. Porcello cruised in the bottom of the second as CJ Cron flied out to right to begin. Marwin Gonzalez took strike three before Miguel Sano whiffed to end the innning,.
Sandy Leon whiffed to start the top of the third before Mr. Mookie lined out to center. Benintendi whiffed to end the inning. Porcello turned up the heat in the bottom of the third as Jason Castro whiffed to start. Jonathan Schoop fanned and Kepler went down swinging to end the inning.
Berrios matched Porcello in the top of the fifth as Holt whiffed to start. Chavis took strike three before JBJ went down hacking to end the inning. Cron beat out an infield single to begin the bottom of the fifth but Gonzalez went down swinging. Sano popped up to short and Castro whiffed to end the inning.
Boston did nothing in the top of the sixth as Leon waived at strike three to start. Mr. Mookie grounded out to second before Benintendi flied out to right to end the inning. Schoop p-opped up to first to start the bottom of the sixth before Kepler grounded out ti first. Polanco singled to right but Cruz swung and missed to strike three to end the inning.
Martinez flied out to center to open the top of the seventh before Devers lined out to right. Bogaerts singled to left but Holt grounded out to short to end the inning. Porcello came back for one more inning in the bottom of the seventh and Rosario grounded out to short to start. Cron doubled but Gonzalez flied out to left. Sano walked but Castro flied out to left to end the inning. Porcello had tossed 7 shut out innings while giving up 4 hits while striking out 8.
Chavis singled to start the top of the eighth but was erased on the force by JBJ. Leon whiffed but JBJ swiped second base. Mr. Mookie took strike three to end the inning. Colten Brewer came in for the bottom of the eighth and nearly pissed the game away. Schoop singled and Kepler walked before both moved to scoring position on the bunt by Polanco. The Sox caught a break when Cruz grounded back to the mound and Brewer threw out Schoop at home. Rosario grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox still ahead.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the ninth with Blake Parker on the mound. Benintendi lined out to left before Martinez doubled to left. Devers flied out to left before Bogaerts doubled home Martinez to increase the lead. Holt grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Ryan Brasier came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Cron flied out to left to start. Gonzalez gorunded out to second and Sano whiffed to end the game. The Sox outlasted the Twins 2-0.
Hero of The Night is Rick Porcello. He tossed 7 innings of shutout ball while allowing 4 hits and striking out 8.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 4 with an rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Michael Chavis was 1 for 3.
Colton Brewer pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Ryan Brasier earned his 7th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Rafael Devers was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but stole a base.
Final Thoughts:
Not much offense in this one but its a miracle the pitching showed up. Porcello finally tossed a gem and the bullpen didn't blow it for once. There's going to be games this season where the offense does nothing so they're going to need more games like this one. Getting Chris Sale, David Price and Nathan Eovaldi to do what Porcello did tonight shouldn't be too much to ask. As for the offense, terrible...just terrible. A win is a win no matter how pretty or ugly it is and hopefully the Sox can right themselves against the AL Central's best team. The win improved the Sox to 40-34, 5.5 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox are back in action against the Twins when they send David Price up against Michael Pineda at 8:05 PM Eastern time at Target Field.
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