Rafael Devers was thrown out at home plate on a two out ninth inning hit by JD Martinez Thursday night, as the Boston Red Sox fell to the Minnesota Twins 2-1 at Fenway Park.
In a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth inning, in what turned out to be a good pitchers duel between Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez, Mookie Betts took an 0-2 pitch from Perez to right field for a leadoff solo homer. It was the third homerun in two games for the Red Sox outfielder. Three straight walks to start the fifth by Eovaldi though would lead to an RBI on a double play ball hit by C.J. Cron to make it 1-1.
Andrew Cashner came in to pitch for Boston (75-65) in the seventh inning and also would walk three batters in the inning. With two outs and Matt Barnes on to pitch, Willians Astudillo came through with the game winning hit with an RBI single to right field. Xander Bogaerts hit a one out single in the ninth inning for the Sox, but then Minnesota closer Jake Rogers came in to get Devers to ground into a force out. Devers hustled down the line and beat the throw to first to keep the hosts alive and bring Martinez to the plate. Martinez hit one off the monster on a 2-2 pitch from Rogers that looked like it may tie the game, that ending up going for a double. Left fielder Eddie Rosario played the ball perfectly off the wall and fired one home to catcher Jason Castro, who tagged out Devers who was out by plenty and never reached the plate ending the game.
Cashner (11-8) took the loss in relief for Boston giving up the game winning run and walking three in just 2/3 of an inning. Eovaldi ended up going 5.0 innings allowing one run on one hit, with four walks and three strikeouts. Betts had two hits including his 26th homerun. He now has six hits in his last two games. The Red Sox are now 6.5 games out of the second American League wildcard spot with just 22 games remaining. Luis Arraez and Astudillo had the only hits of the game for Minnesota (87-53). Perez (10-6) allowed one run on two hits in 6.0 innings to earn the pitching win, while Rogers earned his 24th save.
The Red Sox will open a four game weekend series with the first place New York Yankees on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. at Fenway. Boston is expected to go with a bullpen game, while New York counters with Domingo German on the mound.
