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Red Sox Recap: Rodriguez repeat as Sox topple Twins, 6-3

By Rick McNair |

Eduardo Rodriguez provided some afternoon delight at Fenway Park on Wednesday with another outstanding performance besting Phil Hughes and the Twins 6-3. The Red Sox provided a 13 hit attack to back the love is lovelier second time around performance by Rodriguez.

The Red Sox got things started right off in the first inning. Dustin Pedroia singled and after a Mookie Betts whiff David Ortiz blasted a double to center to get the Red Sox on the board for a quick 1-0 lead.

Rodriquez 10.1 inning scoreless streak came to an end in the third. Up stepped Brian Dozier and out went the ball to left field to knot the score with a home run. Through three innings that was the only blemish on Rodriguez who was dealing like a Mississippi River Boat card sharp.

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Boston didn’t take long to get it back in the last of the frame – and it was a repeat of the first with a Pedroia single and Ortiz double to put runners on second and third. A Hanley Ramirez line shot to right brought in Pedroia, but the threat ended with a Mike Napoli fly out.

More mischief from Pedroia in the last of the fourth. Xander Bogaerts led off the inning with a single and Sandy Leon pushed X-Man to second with a sacrifice. With two out Pedroia punched a line single to right and the Red Sox had a run and a 3-1 lead.

Boston continued the offensive dance in the last of the fifth.

Ramirez and Brock Holt had singles sandwiched around a Napoli pop-up. Ramirez and Holt then executed a double steal and Bogaerts brought both in with a ground single up the middle. That finished off Hughes for the Twins and gave Boston a 5-1 lead after five.

The sixth inning was a slight bump for Rodriguez. A Danny Santana single and a walk to Dozier set the stage for a 12 pitch at bat by Shane Robinson. Rodriguez was still pumping in 94MPH fastballs and showed Robinson his slider and change. Eventually Robinson flied out to right to end the show down in favor of Rodriguez. E-Rod then settled down and kept the game 5-1, but his pitch count elevated to 93 thanks to his tête-à-tête with Robinson.

Boston closed out their scoring in the seventh with a Napoli home run and the game was now turned over to the bullpen to preserve the win for Rodriguez.

The second game on Wednesday will have two right-handers facing off. The Twins will start Trevor May (3-3, 5.07) and for your hitting pleasure the Red Sox will start Rick Porcello (4-4, 5.37).

The final of the series will feature Steven Wright (2-2, 3.90) for the Red Sox against fellow right-hander Kyle Gibson (4-3, 2.91) for the Twins.

Game Notes/Minutiae

* Rusney Castillo went down three times on strikes.

* Rodriguez made a nice cover play at first on a shot to Napoli.

* Going into this game the Red Sox were 299-301 lifetime against the Twins.

* Steven Wright and Ted Williams were both born on August 30.

* Former Twins and HOF member, Harmon Killebrew, hit 37 career home runs at Fenway Park. The most he hit at any visiting ballpark.

* In the first regular season game at Target Field the Twins defeated the Red Sox, 5-2.

GRADES

. Game Ball. Eduardo Rodriguez. STARTING PITCHING . A

Rodriguez was mixing it up with his standard three pitch repertoire. Location was exceptional as the willingness to toss any pitch at any count. The Twins have a 20.8% K rate and it showed. HP umpire Mike Winters was inconsistent all day for both teams. Final line for Rodriguez was one run allowed in seven innings on two hits. Rodriguez walked two and struck out seven.

. Game Ball. Alexi Ogando. RELIEF PITCHING . D

Alexi Ogando

induced a

Joe Mauer

DP in the eighth to get out of a mini jam. Then a walk in the ninth and a two out, two run home run.

Game Ball. Xander Bogaerts. OFFENSE . B+.

Three hits and two RBI for Bogaerts. Four hits for Pedroia. Pair of doubles by Ortiz. A nice 13 hit attack.

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