The Boston Red Sox are winners of their last nine games.
The Red Sox used a six-run fifth inning en route to a 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday evening. The game, a seven-inning affair, served as the second contest of a doubleheader at Target Field.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched in his second game this season. He went five innings and allowed one run in another impressive performance for the Red Sox starting rotation.
The Red Sox recorded eight hits as a team, with Alex Verdugo (3-for-4, three RBIs, two runs) and Rafael Devers (2-for-4, two RBIs) leading the offense.
Boston improved to 9-3 with the victory while Minnesota dropped to 5-7 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Rally.
The Red Sox rallied for a six-run fifth inning, overcoming a 1-0 deficit, in taking yet another comeback win.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez was the latest Red Sox starter to go five innings.
The left-hander bounced back after allowing one run on three hits in the first inning and allowed just two hits through his final four innings.
Rodriguez did, however, have to come up clutch in a few situations. He stranded runners at first and third in the first inning; stranded a runner on third in the third; and then stranded a runner on second after allowing a lead-off double in the fourth.
Rodriguez retired the side in order in both the second and fifth innings.
He finished going five innings while allowing five hits and one earned run. Rodriguez struck out five and allowed just one walk on 76 pitches.
— Garrett Whitlock retired the side in order during the sixth inning. He struck out one with seven of his 10 pitches going for strikes.
— Eduard Bazaro came on for the seventh after being called up Wednesday.
He allowed two walks with one strikeout and helped the Red Sox put the finishing touches on the win.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Kiké Hernández slapped a lead-off single in the first inning before Minnesota starter Jose Berrios retired eight straight batters.
— Verdugo connected on a one-out single in the fourth and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Boston’s threat was halted by a tough-luck double play. Bogaerts lined it back to Berrios, who then threw to second to double up Verdugo.
— The Red Sox found a second gear in the fifth inning, though, recording four hits and benefitting from four walks.
Boston had runners at first and second with nobody out and then bases loaded with one out before the Minnesota dam broke.
Devers connected on a lead-off double, Christian Vazquez battled for a seven-pitch walk and Bobby Dalbec blooped a single to load the bases with one out. Franchy Cordero earned a four-pitch walk to score Devers from third and, with bases still loaded, Verdugo slapped a two-RBI single to right field.
Boston, however, wasn’t done. Cordero came around to score on a wild pitch and Devers returned to the plate for a second time in the fifth only to record a two-RBI single to right field with the bases loaded.
All told, the Red Sox scored six runs in the fifth en route to taking a 6-1 lead.
— Verdugo kept his incredible day going in the seventh inning as he belted a solo home run to right field to give the Red Sox a 7-1 lead.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Not bad!
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will face the Twins in the final game of a four-game set Thursday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.
