Twins split series with Red Sox after 8th-inning rally falls short
BOSTON -- The Minnesota Twins have seen their share of rough innings this season, so manager Paul Molitor knew exactly what the fifth felt like.
"It's a potential one-run deficit coming off the field and they turn it into a mountain to climb," Molitor said of Boston's five-run fifth that led to an 8-7 victory over the Twins on Sunday.
After Dustin Pedroia hit a leadoff homer to push the Red Sox ahead 4-3 in the inning, third baseman Miguel Sano had a ball go through his legs for an error and another run. Travis Shaw then belted a three-run homer, making it 8-3 and knocking starter Tommy Milone (3-3) out of the game.
"You've got a chance to come in here and potentially beat a team that's been playing good -- three out of four," Molitor said. "Unearned runs, they're painful, they're tough when you can't find a way to get off the field. We gave them too many outs."
Juan Centeno had three hits and drove in three runs for the Twins, who completed a seven-game road trip 4-3. Bryon Buxton and Kennys Vargas each had two RBI.
Milone allowed eight runs, including three homers, in 4 2/3 innings, snapping a personal three-game winning streak.
"A couple of pitches that they hit out I felt were decent, just a little bit too much of the plate," he said. "They were still down, but they were able to lift them."
Rick Porcello became the first Boston pitcher in 55 years to open a season 10-0 in Fenway Park, and Hanley Ramirez added a three-run homer as the Red Sox earned a split of the four-game series.
Xander Bogaerts had three singles for Boston, which won its 10th time in 13 games.
Porcello (13-2) allowed five runs with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings, becoming the first since Don Schwall in 1961 to win his first 10 Fenway decisions in a season.
The Twins scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings to slice it to 8-7, but Brad Ziegler got the final three outs for his first save with Boston after being acquired from Arizona earlier this month.
Ramirez's homer -- his fifth in five games -- went into the first row of Monster seats, with a fan making a nice standing, two-handed grab, to make it 3-2.
The Twins tied it when Max Kepler tripled leading off the fourth before scoring on Vargas' grounder.
Twins: C Kurt Suzuki was out with stitches in his chin after getting hit in the face mask Saturday. "We're trying to look at ways that we can potentially protect him if we needed to play him in an emergency," Molitor said.
Red Sox: DH David Ortiz was rested. . . . Manager John Farrell said CF Mookie Betts' right knee was "improved" and "we hope that by (Monday) night he's back in the lineup." Betts left Friday's game with soreness in the knee.
The Red Sox recalled RHP Joe Kelly from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game after sending RHP Heath Hembree there following Saturday's loss.
Kelly has only started since being acquired in 2014, but has pitched 52 2/3 career innings of relief with a 3.25 ERA.
Junichi Tazawa entered with bases-loaded and no outs in the eighth. He allowed two inherited runners to score, but struck out Buxton on a splitter in the dirt to end the inning.
Twins: They're off Monday before beginning a six-game homestand Tuesday. RHP Ervin Santana (3-8, 3.93) faces Atlanta RHP Lucas Harrell (1-2, 4.24) in the first of a two-game series.
Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz makes his second start for Boston Monday after being acquired from San Diego. He gave up five runs in three innings in his debut Wednesday against the Giants. RHP Justin Verlander (9-6, 3.74) is slated to go for the Tigers in the opener of a three-game series.
