Bobby Dalbec had a go ahead RBI double in the eighth inning on Tuesday afternoon, and Martin Perez pitched a very solid 5.0 innings as the Boston Red Sox extended their win streak to seven games with a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in some snow showers and a cold 33 degree day at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Perez, who got a no decision, ran into trouble in the bottom of the first inning as Minnesota loaded the bases with noone out. He would limit the damage though on a Jorge Palanco RBI sacrifice fly and a fielders choice RBI from Luis Arraez that made it 2-0 Twins. Boston (7-3) was held to just an infield single over the first four innings by Minnesota starter J.A. Happ. The Sox came alive with two outs in the fifth, when Hunter Renfroe hit his first homerun with his new team, a solo shot just sneaking over the center field fence. Christian Arroyo then singled, and Dalbec drove him home with a sharp double down the right field line that tied the game 2-2. Arroyo then started the eighth with a double to right, and Dalbec provided the game winner with his second straight double to right scoring Arroyo to make it 3-2 Red Sox. Rafael Devers added the insurance with a one out solo homerun to right field in the ninth inning. It was the fourth straight game with a homer for Devers. He becomes just the third player in team history to hit a homerun in four consecutive games before the age of 25, joining Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Perez gave up two runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Adam Ottavino (1-0) won in relief, with Darwinzon Hernandez getting a hold in the eighth inning and Matt Barnes working a perfect ninth to pick up his first save. Arroyo and Dalbec had two hits each, with Dalbec adding the two big RBI. Byron Buxton had two hits in the defeat for Minnesota (5-5), and Randy Dobnak (0-2) took the pitching loss. The Red Sox and Twins play two seven innings games on Wednesday afternoon, with Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez going for Boston and Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios scheduled to pitch for Minnesota.
