The Boston Red Sox had their six game win streak snapped on Wednesday night, falling 5-4 in 10 innings to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis in game three of a four game series.
Rafael Devers gave Boston (39-36) a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the top of the first inning after a two out walk to Justin Turner. Minnesota took their first lead of the night 2-1 on RBI singles by Max Kepler and Christian Vazquez in the second. Turner tied it up for the Red Sox with a missile of a solo homerun that traveled 448 feet with two outs in the top of the third. In a back and forth game all night, Carlos Correa made it 3-2 Twins with an RBI groundout in the last of the third inning before Turner came through again with an RBI single in the fifth to knot the score at 3-3. Kepler regained a one run lead for the hosts with a solo homerun to right field with one out in the sixth. Triston Casas, who has certainly has his share of struggles so far this season at the plate, continued to swing a hot bat of late when he doubled to left centerfield in the eighth to score pinch runner David Hamilton to make it 4-4. Hamilton, who was just called up, came in to run for Masataka Yoshida who drew a one out walk and would steal second base. Hamilton is no stranger to steals as he set a Red Sox minor league record with 70 of those last season playing for the Double A Affiliate Portland Sea Dogs. The game went to extra innings, and with the runner at second base extra inning rule Boston couldn’t come through in the top of the 10th. Turner grounded out, Devers struckout swinging, and after an intentional walk to Adam Duvall Minnesota reliever Jovani Moran would strikeout Casas swinging. Kaleb Ort would walk Vazquez intentionally to start the last of the 10th, and then Michael A. Taylor laid down a sacrifice bunt that he nearly beat out at first base to move the runners up. Kyle Farmer was next to hit and won it in walkoff fashion for the Twins with a line drive RBI single to centerfield.
Turner, Casas, Alex Verdugo, and Christian Arroyo all had two hits a piece for Boston in the loss. Ort (1-1) took the defeat in relief. Garrett Whitlock began the game on the hill and in his no-decision he gave up four runs on eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Kepler and Edouard Julien had two hits each for Minnesota (37-38). Moran (1-2) got credited with the pitching win. Sonny Gray started and allowed three runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire left the game with what looks to be an oblique strain while batting in the sixth inning and is likely headed to the IL. Boston will look to win the series in the finale on Thursday at 1:10. No official opening starter has been announced for the Sox in what will be a bullpen game. Right hander Joe Ryan (7-4, 3.30) gets the ball for the Twins.
Story by Chris Lessner/Highlights courtesy of the MLB website
