The Twins and Red Sox square off again tonight at Fenway Park with a 6:10 start. Given that they’ve already made three deals to try and get control back of the American League East, one might assume that the Red Sox are done dealing.
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Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) celebrates his home run against the Boston Red Sox with right fielder Miguel Sano (22) during the first inning at Fenway Park.
Rick Porcello pitches, the Red Sox win.
Twins C Kurt Suzuki left Saturday after taking a foul tip to the facemask and is not expected to start on Sunday.3.
“Gibson was the story”, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. Then he almost struck out Max Kepler on a borderline 1-2 pitch that didn’t go in his favor. Three days ago, Ortiz hit a 451 foot home run off old fried Jake Peavy, which was his longest of the season. The Sox got their run back in the bottom of the inning on an infield single from Jackie Bradley Jr., and danger seemed to have been averted. “We gave them too many outs”. Leon is 0-for-7 in the series against the Twins, which remarkably marks the only time this year that he has gone two straight starts without picking up a hit.
Kennys Vargas hit a sacrifice fly to left, as outfielder Bryce Brentz made the catch just before bumping into the wall. “I feel healthy, I feel confident, just not making good pitches, that’s what it boils down to”.
– Xander Bogaerts had another three-hit day, going 3-for-4 with two runs.
Porcello ended his outing with five runs allowed (four earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts and only one walk over 6 2/3 innings. In the middle of the game, Porcello retired 14-of-15 batters at one point, the lone baserunner coming on a triple off of the leaping Holt’s glove in the fourth. “We’re trying to look at ways that we can potentially protect him if we needed to play him in an emergency, ” Molitor said.
Betts explained that his condition had improved from Friday night, but – much like Farrell – doesn’t know how quickly he can bounce back.
Boston has won all 11 games Porcello has started at home this year. There are reports circulating around the league that the Red Sox are still interested in buying on pitching, both of the starting and relief variety, leading up to the July 31 deadline. Matt Barnes loaded the bases in the eighth, and the Twins pulled within a run.
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Twins: They’re off Monday before beginning a six-game homestand Tuesday. However, the second game of the series did not go accordingly as their offense was quieted, and Boston took a tough 1-2 loss. A David Price, who is still struggling; a newly acquired Drew Pomeranz, who laid an egg in his Sox debut; Buchholz being Buchholz; and oh ya, Boston’s top four relievers being simultaneously on the DL. The California native surrendered five runs in 19 1/3 innings over those three turns.
