Well that's more like it. One day after their most embarrassing loss of the season, the Boston Red Sox turned it around to lay waste to the bungholes of the Minnesota Twins. The much maligned Trevor Story belted a three run home run and drove in 5 total runs on his own. Andruw Monasterio, Connor Wong and Masataka Yoshida also drove in runs as well for a 13 hit Boston attack. Meanwhile Connelly Early (1-0, 2.29 ERA) tossed his best game of the season, holding the Twins to just one run in six solid innings. Things got hairy in the ninth when Ryan Watson allowed 4 runs, but the Sox hung on to salvage the series with a 9-5 win at Target Field.
Woods Richardson got the ball in the top of the first inning and Roman Anthony struck out swinging to start. Ceddanne Rafaela walked and Masataka Yoshida doubled to left, but Trevor Story grounded out to short. Jarren Duran struck out swinging at ball four in the dirt to end the inning. As usual the Twins struck first against Early in the bottom of the first. Buxton struck out swinging but Martin hit a home run all the way to India to put the Twins on top. Keaschall flied out to center and Ryan Jeffers grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Twins up 1-0.
Andruw Monasterio singled to left to begin the top of the second but Marcelo Mayer grounded into a double play. Connor Wong flied out to center to end the inning. Josh Bell flied out to left to open the bottom of the second but Victor Caratini got a base hit to left. Matt Wallner flied out to center and Brooks Lee forced Caratini at second to end the inning.
The Sox exploded in the top of the third as Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled in the hole at second to start. Anthony walked and Rafaela got a base hit to right to load the bases. Yoshida hit a double play ball to second but Keaschall not only bobbled it, but threw it away to score both Anthony and Kiner. Story capped off the rally with a 3 run bomb to increase the lead. Duran popped up to third, Monsasterio lined out to center and Mayer grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox up 5-1.
Ryan Kriedler struck out swinging to start the bottom of the third and Buxton grounded out to third. Martin walked but Keaschall forced him at second to end the inning.
Wong beat out a roller to third to start the top of the fourth and promptly stole second. Kiner singled in the hole at short and Anthony singled in the hole at short to load the bases. Unfortunately Rafaela hit into a 5-2-5 double play and Yoshida took strike three to end the inning. Jeffers took strike three to start the bottom of the fourth and Bell lined out to center. Caratini was hit with a pitch but Wallner struck out swinging to end the inning.
Story walked to start the top of the fifth but Duran forced him at second. Monasterio doubled to center to score Duran and Mayer got a base hit to left to put runners at the corners. Wong dropped down a suicide squeeze to score Monasterio and a wild pitch moved Mayer to third. Kiner grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 7-1.
Lee flied out to right to start the bottom of the fifth but Kriedler walked. Buxton flied out to center and Martin struck out swinging to end the inning.
Anthony Banda came in to pitch the top of the sixth and Anthony got abase hit to center to start. Rafaela was hit with a pitch and both runners moved over on the grounder to second by Yoshida. Story cleared the bases with a double to right but Duran struck out swinging. Monasterio lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 9-1.
Story does it again
Early returned for one final inning in the bottom of the sixth as Keaschall popped up to second to start. Jeffers flied out to right and Bell lined out to left to end the inning. Early held the Twins to just 1 run off 2 hits and 2 walks, he was outstanding.
Justin Topa came in to pitch the top of the seventh and Mayer grounded out to second to start. Wong grounded out to short but Kiner walked. Anthony lined out to center to end the inning. Danny Coulombe came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Caratini grounded out to short to start. Wallner grounded out to first and Lee grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kody Funderburk came in to pitch with Tristan Gray at first, James Outman at second and Kody Clemens in for Buxton to begin the top of the eighth. Rafaela struck out swinging, Yoshida went down hacking and Story flied out to right in short order. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Kriedler struck out swinging to start. Clemens took strike three but Martin got a base hit to center. A wild pitch moved Martin to second and Outman walked. Jeffers popped up to first to end the inning.
Eric Orze came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Duran struck out swinging to start. Monasterio singled to left but Mayer grounded into a double play to end the inning. Suddenly the Twins rallied against Ryan Watson in the bottom of the ninth as Gray got a base hit to left to start. Caratini lined out to right but Wallner walked. Lee got a base hit to left to score Gray and Kreidler hit a home run all the way to Cuba to cut the lead in half. Clemens flied out to center and Martin did the same to end the game. The Sox had won it 9-5.
Hero of The Night is Trevor Story. He matched the Twins output by himself by going 2 for 4 with a home run and 5 total rbis.
The Good:
Roman Anthony was 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch, a walk and 2 runs scored.
Andruw Monasterio was 3 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Connor Wong was 1 for 3 with an rbi and a stolen base.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Connelly Early got the win with 6 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
Danny Coulombe tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Ryan Watson allowed 4 runs in the ninth inning.
The Ugly:
Masataka Yoshida was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts but drove in a run and scored a run.
Jarren Duran was 0 for 5 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but scored a run.
Marcelo Mayer was just 1 for 5.
Final Thoughts:
Where the hell was this offense yesterday? Good to see the Sox wake up and play to their potential but they haven't been consistent all season. Still, the good news was Connelly Early looked great and he's been their best pitcher this season. The Sox haven't had a lefty homegrown star pitcher since Jon Lester left town 12 years ago, it would be nice if Early fills that role. Story couldn't hit the broad side of a barn yesterday and he couldn't miss today. Just goes to show every day is different. The encouraging sign is Roman Anthony is starting to hit more consistently so maybe, just maybe they may be on the verge of stringing some wins together. The only downside to this game was Ryan Watson. Then again, if Johan Oviedo, Justin Slaten or Patrick Sandoval were healthy, Watson wouldn't be here. Hopefully somebody gets healthy soon. After an off-day tomorrow the Sox are back in action Friday night at home against the Detroit Tigers. Nobody knows who is going for the Tigers against Ranger Suarez (1-1, 5.02 ERA) of Boston. The game begins at 7:15 PM at Fenway Park.
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