The Boston Red Sox are going to want to forget this game.
The Sox lost 7-4 to the Minnesota Twins in extra innings Sunday after reliever Matt Barnes gave up a three-run home run to right fielder Max Kepler. It was a rough showing all around, as Rick Porcello didn’t have the best start, the defense made some clumsy errors and the offense was slow to get in the game.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Battle.
The Red Sox had to fight in this one, but they ultimately couldn’t get the job done. They tried to come back with a three-run eighth, but they didn’t get anything going in extras.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Max Kepler hit a three-run walk-off homer in the 10th inning.
It doesn’t get much more straightforward than that. The home run also was the first of Kepler’s career.
ON THE BUMP
— It wasn’t the best day for Porcello, and his defense certainly didn’t do him any favors. The right-hander didn’t look too sharp in the first two innings, allowing one run in each. But he settled down for three consecutive 1-2-3 innings before the sixth rolled around. A leadoff walk and a single led to two more runs, but they actually were unearned thanks to shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ second error of the day. So while Porcello allowed four runs, only one was earned. Otherwise, the right-hander went seven innings with five hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
— Koji Uehara issued a walk in the eighth, but it didn’t do any damage. The reliever also struck out Kepler.
— Junichi Tazawa got into a little trouble in the ninth when he walked shortstop Eduardo Nunez, who ended up stealing second with two outs. He pitched himself out of the jam, though, finishing one inning with one walk and one strikeout.
— Matt Barnes went home with the loss in this one. A walk to first baseman Joe Mauer and a single to second baseman Brian Dozier set things up for Kepler’s home run.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox scored 23 runs over the first two games against the Twins, but they had a tough time producing anything Sunday. However, they rallied in the eighth to tie things up.
— Chris Young was the first one to get the Red Sox on the board with a solo home run in the fifth. The left fielder went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
— Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia both went 1-for-4 with a run and a walk. Hanley Ramirez went 1-for-3 with a walk and a double.
— Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-5 with an RBI single in Boston’s three-run eighth inning.
— David Ortiz didn’t beat up on his old team like he usually does. The designated hitter went 0-for-4 with a walk. Jackie Bradley Jr. went 0-for-3 with a walk.
— Josh Rutledge (0-for-2), Travis Shaw (0-for-2), Christian Vazquez (0-for-2) and Sandy Leon (0-for-1) all went hitless.
— Marco Hernandez pinch-hit for Vazquez in the eighth, drawing a walk and scoring a run.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Hanley Ramirez has always had some trouble with his helmet. Sunday was no different.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will be off Monday before returning to Fenway for a 10-game homestand, which begins Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles in a 7:10 p.m. ET contest. David Price will face off against Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman.
Thumbnail photo via Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports Images
