It was one of those nights for Mookie Betts.
The Red Sox outfielder hit the first two pitches he saw out of the park, giving Boston all the juice it would need in a 6-2 bounce-back victory against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. The two long balls highlighted a monster night for the reigning American League MVP at the dish.
Betts’ performance was the only thing that could overshadow Eduardo Rodriguez’s dazzling performance. The lefty tossed seven shutout innings in picking up his 17th victory of the season. Brandon Workman recorded his 11th save.
The Red Sox moved to 75-64 with the win, while the Twins fell to 86-53 after the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Mookie
En fuego.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez continued his remarkable season as the Sox’s most reliable starting pitcher, allowing no runs over seven innings of work.
The southpaw got off to a roaring start, striking out the side in the first inning. He worked around traffic in the fourth, getting Jake Cave to ground into a double play following back-to-back singles. After two walks loaded the bases, he got Willians Astudillo to fly out to escape the jam.
He was done after throwing 113 pitches, allowing five hits (all singles) on four walks and eight strikeouts.
— Ryan Brasier quickly surrendered the shutout, allowing a leadoff single and a two-run homer to Eddie Rosario to make it 6-2 in the eighth.
He likes the high ones.
🌹🌹#BombaSquad pic.twitter.com/T4c2TQv4Uy
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) September 5, 2019
— Josh Taylor took over with one out and one on to escape the eighth inning, allowing one hit and recording a strikeout.
— Darwinzon Hernandez struck out one in the ninth, but proceeded to walk the next two before getting the hook.
— Workman induced a game-ending 1-6-3 double play to end the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Betts wasted absolutely no time getting things started, belting the first pitch he saw over the Monster.
Please consider this our "Play Ball" tweet. pic.twitter.com/WdCYoGf6fp
— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 5, 2019
— For good measure, Betts sent another one over the Monster in the second inning, again on the first pitch, for a three-run home run to make it 4-0.
Two pitches, two swings, two homers. pic.twitter.com/WrHvhbCPFS
— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 5, 2019
— Boston piled on more in the sixth.
Christian Vazquez drove in a run with a double to make it 5-0.
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Betts continued to rake with his fourth hit of the night driving in his fifth run of the game to make it 6-0 on a line-drive single.
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— Betts finished 4-for-5 with five RBI, adding two singles to his two long balls. Brock Holt and Christian Vazquez each had two hits. Xander Bogaerts had the lone other hit for the Sox.
TWEET OF THE DAY
One of those nights for Mookie.
4-for-4
5 RBI…so far. pic.twitter.com/4CP2rmpgbR
— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 5, 2019
UP NEXT
The Red Sox wrap up their three-game series against the Twins on Thursday. First pitch from Fenway Park is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET. Nathan Eovaldi is expected to start on the mound.
