Phil Hughes and Rick Porcello presented a marquee match-up of two overpaid and under-performing starters. Nether could keep the ball in the yard, but Hughes had just enough run support to come away with a 6-4 victory despite two home runs by Dustin Pedroia. For Porcello it was another step backwards.
The Red Sox opening up the scoring in the third inning with a lead-off Brock Holt double. Blake Swihart advanced Holt to third to set up a sac fly situation for Pedroia. Pedroia’s “sac fly” went five rows deep to left to give Boston a 2-0 edge. Porcello was now handed a lead. How would Porcello respond? Why he’d give it right back – just like his last start.
With one gone in the last of the third a questionable 3-2 call resulted in a walk to Aaron Hicks that was followed by a Danny Santana single and a walk to Brian Dozier. Bases loaded for Torii Hunter, who whacked a two run single off the glove of Mike Napoli. Joe Mauer joined the fun with a sharp single to left and Porcello had now given back the lead. The Twins had more to come.
In the last of the fourth Chris Herrmann singled to center and up stepped Hicks. Hicks took a lame duck change-up and had his first home run of the season. For Porcello that was his 10th allowed.
The Boston offense got those two back thanks to Pedroia.
Swihart had a single and up came Pedroia for his second home run of the day on a fly to left that was, like the first shot, an inside fastball that Pedroia cleaned out. The Twins lead was now back to one with a 5-4 score.
The every generous Porcello gave up his 11th home run in the last of the sixth to Eddie Rosario. The solo blast could have been a two-run shot if a stolen base had not been overturned.
Hughes made his exit after 6.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with four strike outs and no walks. A workman like effort for Hughes. Hughes evened his record at 4-4 with the win.
Remember when a David Ortiz at bat often meant the game winning shot for Boston? In the eighth Pablo Sandoval, hitting left-handed against a lefty, singled and Hanley Ramirez followed with a walk. Up stepped Ortiz who was 4/47 in the seventh or later. That is now 4/48 with a weak ground out.
The Twins brought in five pitchers with Glen Perkins closing out the Twins win with a save.
The Red Sox move their offensive road show to Texas for a four game series with Texas presenting the offerings of right-handed Nick Martinez (4-0, 1.96) to the Red Sox bats and Boston countering with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, freshly rescued from Pawtucket, to make his MLB debut.
Game Notes/Minutiae:
* Nice catch by Holt, playing RF, in the sixth. Rosario matched it in the 7th grabbing a Swihart blast to left.
* Pedroia has five career home runs against Hughes.
* Thank you, Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie gave up 11 runs in the first inning against the Yankees over the weekend to edge ahead of CY Award Candidate, Joe Kelly, for the ERA basement – 6.70 to 6.24.
* In 2009 Porcello was the youngest player in the AL.
* Hunter has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards. Hunter showed why with a sliding catch in the eighth.
* Hughes grew up a Red Sox fan and idolized Nomar Garciaparra.
* The Minneapolis Millers were the Triple-A farm club of the Red Sox prior to the Twins relocating.
Dale Scott was the home plate umpire and Stevie Wonder could have called a better game. However, Porcello has a nasty routine of giving back leads and giving up home runs. Today was no exception. A 2-0 lead was given right back and two walks were the centerpiece. The HR by Hicks was simply a garbage pitch and it got what it deserved a nice ride deep into the RF stands. The final tally was seven innings, six runs, seven hits, two walks (both scored) and four strikeouts. Porcello now is 4-4 with an ERA that jumped to 5.37.
went an inning. Allowed a hit and no runs. Yawn.
Two home runs and four RBI. That was the offense as it was all Pedroia. The heart of the lineup did nothing going 1-15.
Xander Bogaertsadded another 0-4.
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