The Boston Red Sox continued their four game series in Minnesota against the Twins at Target Field Wednesday afternoon with a pair of seven inning games. At the end of the day, Boston extended their win streak to nine games and set some MLB history with 3-2 and 7-1 wins. Boston is the first team to ever start a season at 0-3, and then follow that with a winning streak of at least nine games.
In the first game, Boston scored three early runs and then held off Minnesota late. The Sox did all their damage in the second inning. Hunter Renfroe had an RBI single to make it 1-0. Kevin Plawecki then laid down a bunt that Minnesota starting pitcher Kenta Maeda threw away trying to go to third base trying to cut down the runner, and Renfoe scored on the play to double the lead. Christian Arroyo drove home the third run of the inning with an RBI single. The Twins got their runs in the third when Jorge Polanco hit a two run single to center field. Minnesota had a great chance in their last at bat in the seventh to tie it against Boston closer Matt Barnes with Jake Cave at second base and two outs. Louis Arraez would hit a hard sinking line drive to left field, but Alex Verdugo made a great diving catch to rob Arraez and end the game. Arroyo, Verdugo, and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits. Nathan Eovaldi (2-1) picked up the victory on the mound allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Darwinzon Hernandez got his third hold of the season, while Barnes got his second save.
Boston would finish off the afternoon sweep in game two with six runs in the fifth inning. Kyle Garlick gave Minnesota the lead that stood up for quite a while with a sacrifice RBI fly in the bottom of the first. The Sox finally broke through against Twins starter Jose Berrios when Rafael Devers doubled to start the fifth, and then Christian Vazquez walked. With one out, Bobby Dalbec singled to load the bases and then Franchy Cordero walked to tie the game ending the day for Berrios. After Enrique Hernandez struck out, Verdugo had the game winning hit with a two run single off reliever Tyler Duffy. A wild pitch made it 4-1, and then after two straight walks loaded the bases again Devers nailed a two run single to cap off the big inning. Verdugo hit a long solo homerun to right field in the seventh inning, his second of the season that ended the scoring. Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0) allowed just the one run on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings to pick up the pitching win. Garrett Whitlock and Eduard Bozardo didn’t allow any runs or any hits in their 1.0 inning of relief each. Verdugo led the offense in quite an afternoon for him with three hits and three RBI, while Devers had two hits and two RBI. Berrios (2-1) took the loss and ending up being charged with four runs in 4.1 innings. Boston is now 9-3, Minnesota drops to 5-7.
Manager Alex Cora picked up his 200th career managerial victory with the 3-2 Boston win in game one of the afternoon. The Sox go for the four game sweep and try to hit a double digit win streak at 1:10 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Garrett Richards will be on the mound for Boston, while Michael Pineda toes the rubber for Minnesota.
