Red Sox fail in ten, 4-3

No afternoon delight for the Boston Red Sox as the Minnesota Twins finished on top, 4-3 in extra innings, to push the Sox back to .500.

At my age, I enjoy an afternoon nap and so did the Red Sox offense, at least for eight innings until Will Middlebrooks tied it up with a clutch two-out single in the ninth, but the Twins got to Andrew Miller in the tenth for the win.

Clay Buchholz (2-3, 6.44 ERA) faced off against the Twins’ Phil Hughes (4-1, 3.92 ERA) in the final of the three game series.

Framingham’s own, Chris Colabello (0-5), started for the Twins. Look for Sean Sylver’s article on Lou Merloni, another Framingham native. Maybe Lou could have helped today?

The Twins started the run scoring in the second. With one out, Kurt Suzuki (three hits) reached first on a matador swipe by Middlebrooks on a ball to his left that generously was ruled a hit. Chris Parmelee, who had a walk-off in game one of the series, promptly planted a ball into the right field bleachers to put the Twins up 2-0. The Twins were not done.

Aaron Hicks walked and Eduardo Escobar’s (3-4) single had runners on the corner for a Brain Dozier sac fly. 3-0 Twins after two innings.

In the fourth, the Sox got a run back on singles by Xander Bogaerts, Jonny Gomes and little used Mike Carp. RBI for Carp. Sox now down 3-1.

Buchholz left after another uninspiring performance with ten hits, three runs, three walks and five K’s on 107 pitches in six innings. The Twins also left nine on base during Clay’s tenure. A quality start for some, but for Buchholz another step backward.

Hughes was also finished after an impressive six innings allowing a single run on five hits and striking out eight.

The Twins turned the game over to their bullpen and they didn’t miss a beat for two innings.

Jared Burton, no relation to Tim, and Casey Fien, no connection to Sinn Fien, were not touched for their one inning each. On came closer Glen Perkins,and the Red Sox’ slumber ended.

In the ninth, David Ortiz (who else) opened with a single. After a Mike Napoli strikeout the Sox had singles by Gomes (two hits) and Carp (two hits) for a bases loaded situation. David Ross went down on strikes and it was redemption time for Middlebrooks who lined a single up the middle to tie the score.

In the last of the tenth it fell apart for Miller – again.

Suzuki doubled to left and with two outs and a 3-2 count Hicks lined a shot to left field. End of game. Miller slides to 1-2 with the loss and Twins’ Brian Duensing evens his record at 1-1.

The Red Sox head back to Fenway where Jon Lester (4-4) faces off against Detroit’s Max Scherzer (5-1).