The Red Sox finally got one back off of Pat Dean in the 5th on a home run by Chris Young (6). It was the first career home run for the native of Berlin, Germany.
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That hot streak continued to blaze in Boston’s 15-4 win against the Twins on Saturday, as Bogaerts collected four more hits, including his eighth home run.
Chris Stratton, the ninth pitcher used by Giants manager Bruce Bochy, retired three batters for his first major league win.
“I told myself just put yourself in a hit-and-run situation. Quick hands, nice and simple”, Kepler said.
Not only was Barnes unable to do that, he couldn’t even keep the ball in the park.
That’s exactly what happened to Kepler as he took a curveball for strike one, then swung through a fastball to fall into the 0-2 hole.
According to Kepler, it was also his first walk-off homer at any level.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a three-run homer in the first, Leon went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and Ortiz had three more hits against his former team.
“I’m 100 percent sure”, he said. The rookie left-hander allowed one run on just three hits in 6 1/3 innings but walked four.
In this Boston Red Sox lineup that’s packed with potent bats, Xander Bogaerts has fast become the best of an imposing bunch.
“He was very good”, Red Sox manager John Farrell said. Leon did have two passed balls behind the plate, but this was the 27-year-old’s best game in the majors. Thought he had a good curveball today, a good slider to their right-handers.
Shaw entered in the seventh as a pinch hitter and struck out.
– After tossing seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts Saturday, Nationals starter Tanner Roark has as many starts with seven-plus innings pitched and zero runs as Clayton Kershaw (four).
The eighth started with the Red Sox loading the bases thanks to a Marco Hernandez walk and singles from Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia.
Fernando Abad relieved Kintzler, and was able to get Ortiz to hit into a double play.
Minnesota jumped on Porcello early as Eduardo Nunez led off with a single and then stole second. A grounder to short by Juan Centeno was not fielded cleanly by Bogaerts, allowing Escobar to scamper to third.
The Twins scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth after Bogaerts’ throwing error on Kepler’s routine grounder.
The Twins took advantage of Bogaerts’ second error of the day in the sixth. Joe Mauer drove in Eduardo Nunez in the 1st, and Byron Buxton drove in the other Eduardo in the 2nd, both came on ground-outs.
“That would have been the third out of the inning”, Bogaerts said. “With our offense, we would have came back”. You saw it later on.
“I had to ignore Bogaerts behind the pitcher, trying to organize the infield the whole time”, he said. “After a blooper, it killed us”. Escobar singled in Mauer to make it 4-1 Twins. The Red Sox have outscored them 365-230 this season, including 23-5 in this series. Holt has been on the disabled list retroactive to May 19 but sustained the injury May 10 against Oakland. The Twins claimed RHP Neil Ramirez off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.
NOTES: Twins RHP Phil Hughes will miss 6-to-8 weeks because of an impaction fracture of his left femur above the knee. T.J. McFarland (1-2) lost in relief.
Boston will have an off-day on Monday and take on the Orioles Tuesday-Thursday in a big home series. The third baseman went 1-for-18 for the road trip.
Porcello has made 25 starts against the Twins over the years, compiling an 8-9 record with a 4.00 ERA. LOB-Minnesota 7, Boston 6.
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– The Cubs scored four runs in the fourth inning, which put them up 5-0 on the Braves en route to an 8-2 victory.
