Despite a dramatic two-run game tying homerun from Kyle Schwarber in the ninth inning Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox would fall 9-6 to the Minnesota Twins after a pair of 10th inning homers at Fenway Park.
Boston (72-56) was held in check most of the night by Minnesota starting pitcher Bailey Ober. Ober didn’t allow any runs over 5.0 innings and the Twins got runs on a Andrelton Simmons RBI single in the second inning, a long 495 foot homerun by Miguel Sano in the third, and a two-run homer from Jorge Polanco in the fourth that made it 4-0. The Sox got two back on a Christian Vazquez RBI single in the seventh, and another one on a ball hit by Alex Verdugo in the eighth that went as an error to slice it to 4-2. Alex Colome tried to close it for the guests in the bottom of the ninth, but Kike Hernandez led off with a double and then Schwarber took the next pitch into the centerfield bleachers to even it 4-4. It was the first homerun for Schwarber in a Boston uniform. Xander Bogaerts then singled and Rafael Devers walked. Colome though retired JD Martinez on a sharp lineout to right field, struck out Verdugo swinging, and then got Hunter Renfroe to pop out to the catcher to send it to extras. Donaldson led off the 10th inning with a two-run homer to right center, and later in the inning Jake Cave capped off a Minnesota win with a three-run homerun all off Hansel Robles. Boston did get two in the bottom half, including a solo homer from Hernandez his 17th of the season but it wasn’t enough.
Nick Pivetta got a no decision on the mound allowing four runs on six hits in 4.0 innings, as Robles (3-5) was tagged with the loss in relief. Hernandez and Schwarber had three hits each, while Verdugo, Renfroe, and Vazquez had two a piece. Ober allowed just four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts, with Colome (4-4) getting credit for the win for Minnesota (55-71). Simmons, Donaldson, and Max Kepler each had two hits. The rubber game is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Thursday night with the Red Sox sending Chris Sale (2-0, 1.80 ERA) to the hill, and the Twins countering with John Gant (4-7, 3.77). The teams have combined for 35 runs and 50 hits over the first two games of the series.
