Field Level Media
Aug 25, 2021
Josh Donaldson hit a tiebreaking, two-run blast in the 10th inning for the third of four Twins home runs to lead Minnesota past the host Boston Red Sox 9-6 in the second of a three-game series Wednesday night.
With Jorge Polanco on second base to start the inning, Donaldson launched a 1-0 fastball from Red Sox reliever Hansel Robles (3-5) over the bullpens in right field for his 19th home run of the season to make it 6-4.
Jake Cave added a three-run shot later in the inning. Polanco had a two-run homer in the fourth for his third home run in as many games, and Miguel Sano added a tape-measure solo blast for Minnesota, which snapped its four-game losing streak.
Sano's third-inning homer traveled an estimated 495 feet, making it the majors' longest home run this season.
Minnesota reliever Alex Colome (4-4) blew a save in the ninth, but still earned the win despite allowing two runs on three hits with a walk. Twins starter Bailey Ober tossed five scoreless innings while matching a career high with seven strikeouts.
Down 4-2 entering the ninth, Boston slugger Kyle Schwarber tied it with a two-run shot for his first home run as a member of the Red Sox. It was Schwarber's 26th of the season and his first since June 29 as a member of the Washington Nationals.
The Red Sox scored two in the bottom of the 10th, the first on a double-play grounder and the second on a solo home run by Enrique Hernandez.
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta allowed four runs on six hits and walked two while striking out five in four innings.
Boston's lead over idle Oakland for the second American League wild card spot shrunk to 1 1/2 games.
Andrelton Simmons' RBI single in the second plated the Twins' first run. Sano crushed his 22nd home run of the season an inning later, and Polanco followed suit with his team-leading 24th homer in the fourth to make it 4-0.
Christian Vazquez's RBI single put Boston on the board in the seventh, and Alex Verdugo scored on a fielding error in the eighth.
--Field Level Media