Minnesota Twins vs Boston Red Sox Match Player Stats On Jun 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 28, 2017

BOSTON -- Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and an RBI single to back a strong outing from Adalberto Mejia in the Minnesota Twins' 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.

Mejia (3-3) tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out three. The 24-year-old left-hander has not given up a run in 10 2/3 innings over his past two starts.

Miguel Sano also drove in his team-leading 53rd run of the season for Minnesota (40-36), which was outscored 13-3 in losing the first two contests of the four-game series in Boston.

Xander Bogaerts drove in the lone run for Boston (43-35), which had its modest two-game winning streak snapped.

Red Sox starter Rick Porcello (4-10) failed in a bid to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, giving up four runs on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six frames.

Porcello retired the game's first two batters before Joe Mauer doubled and Sano brought him in with an RBI double. Kepler's ensuing RBI single gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead.

With one on and no outs in the sixth, Kepler doubled the lead with his 409-foot liner off an 0-1 fastball from Porcello that sailed into the Boston bullpen in right field.

Boston brought the tying run to the plate with one away in the seventh as Dustin Pedroia walked to load the bases for Bogaerts, whose groundout to short scored a run.

Mitch Moreland struck out swinging to end the threat.

Mookie Betts doubled with one out in the ninth against Twins closer Brandon Kintzler, but Dustin Pedroia grounded out and Bogaerts struck out swinging to lock up Kintzler's 21st save.

NOTES: Boston DH Hanley Ramirez (left knee soreness) was not in the lineup for a third straight game. "I think the second half (of the season) is coming and I'm ready for that," Ramirez told MLB.com. ... Red Sox manager John Farrell returned to the dugout after serving a one-game suspension for arguing a balk call and making contact with crew chief Bill Miller on Saturday. Farrell was also fined an undisclosed amount. ... Minnesota placed LHP Craig Breslow (thoracic rib soreness) on the 10-day disabled list. Breslow (1-1, 5.28 ERA) had not been on the DL since 2013, and he told the St. Paul Pioneer Press it "wouldn't be fair" to the team to try to pitch through the injury. ... The Twins also activated RHP Phil Hughes, who had been sidelined with right arm soreness, from the DL. ... Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (4-5, 6.23 ERA) opposes Red Sox LHP David Price (2-2, 4.76 ERA) in the series finale Thursday.