The Friday, June 22, 2018

* The Boston Globe

Video study helped break slump

Peter Abraham

MINNEAPOLIS — Mookie Betts came off the disabled list on June 11. But it was not until the last few days that he looked like the player he was before straining an abdominal muscle last month.

Betts was 3 for 6 with an opposite-field home in Thursday’s 9-2 victory against the . He has five hits in his last nine at-bats.

“Result-wise, yeah, it was great,” manager Alex Cora said. “I think they found something earlier today and we’ll see how far that goes.”

Betts said he and the coaches reviewed video of at-bats before the injury and that helped him get back into a better rhythm at the plate.

Betts also made an interesting defensive play in the sixth inning.

With up, Betts moved deep into the gap, roughly 35 yards off the foul line. Sure enough, Mauer a line drive right at him.

What would have been an easy was instead an easy out.

Betts pulled an index card out of his back pocket and waved it at the dugout with a big smile.

“That was a big topic before the game,” said Cora, who explained that the team’s analytical staff recommended a radical shift against Mauer. [The players] see stuff like that and they panic.”

The Sox coaches called back to Boston to check it out and we’re told the information was accurate. After starting pitcher gave his approval, the information was included on the cards the Sox fielders carry as a reference.

“I’m glad that it happened,” Cora said. “They believe in what we’re doing but sometimes they see something extreme and out of the ordinary. I know they’re happy, but I was like the happiest guy. Thank God they hit it right there. It reinforces what we’re doing.”

Wright gets Mariners again

Steven Wright is scheduled to face the for the second time in seven days on Friday when the Sox return to .

Wright took an undeserved loss at Safeco Field on Saturday when he allowed one run on five hits over seven innings. Seattle won the game, 1-0.

Wright will again oppose lefthander Wade LeBlanc, who two-hit the Sox over 7⅔ innings and struck out nine without a walk.

When a conventional pitcher faces a lineup for the second time in a row, there are typically adjustments made in sequencing pitches or when to attack in certain counts.

“You might wait until they adjust to you, but you’re ready to make changes,” Red Sox pitching coach Dana LeVangie said. “It can be a challenge.”

But with a knuckleballer, there are only so many options. Wright can mix in an occasional four-seam fastball, but he’s at the mercy of how well his primary pitch moves.

“He’s not going to break out a cutter and changeup,” LeVangie said. “But Steven has had good control of it. He can hit spots.”

Wright faced the Toronto Blue Jays in back-to-back starts in April 2016. He allowed two runs on six hits over six innings in the second game but took a loss.

“I don’t think either side has an advantage,” Wright said. “Their hitters have seen me, but if the ball is moving it won’t really matter. I pitch the way I pitch.”

Wright is 2-1 with a 1.23 ERA in nine games. Since joining the rotation June 5, the righthander has allowed one run on 11 hits over 20⅔ innings and struck out 15 with eight walks.

Manager Papi

David Ortiz will manage the World Team in the All-Star Futures Games on July 15 at Nationals Park. The United States team will managed by Torii Hunter, one of Ortiz’s closest friends in baseball and a former teammate in Minnesota.

The game, in its 20th year, is a showcase for top prospects. Rosters have not yet been announced.

Ortiz has kept a relatively low profile in baseball since retiring after the 2016 season. He has a largely undefined position with the Red Sox that includes occasional appearances. This is first time working with .

Dozen more are signed

The Sox signed 12 more players from their draft class, including second-round pick Nick Decker, a high school outfielder from New Jersey.

Decker received $1.25 million to turn pro instead of playing at Maryland.

The Sox also signed Elih Marrero (eighth round), catcher Lane Milligan (17th round), righthander Eduardo Jimenez (18th round), third baseman Brandon Howlett (21st round), righthander Yusniel Padron- Artiles (22nd round), righthander Ryan Fernandez (23rd round), lefthander Logan Browning (24th round), outfielder Caleb Ramsey (25th round), righthander Kris Jackson (28th round), righthander Connor Berry (31st round), and outfielder Bramdon Perez (32nd round).

All 12 were assigned to the Gulf Coast League.

The Sox have signed 25 of the 40 players they drafted. The top unsigned player is 12th-round pick Chase Shugart, a righthander from the University of Texas. The Longhorns were eliminated from the College on Wednesday and Shugart is expected to reach a deal soon.

Holt settling in at second

Brock Holt started at second base and was 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. He also made two nice plays defensively from shallow right field while the Sox were in a shift. Holt has started four of the last six games at second base and may be taking the position away from Eduardo Nunez . . . Jackie Bradley Jr. had an RBI single in the ninth inning. But he was 4 of 35 (.114) on the road trip and is hitting .181 on the season with a .570 OPS. However, Bradley has a 0.2 WAR per Baseball-Reference.com, which is higher than Nunez, Rafael Devers, and Christian Vazquez . . . The Sox are 19-5 in series finales, 19-5 in day games, and 15-3 on getaway days . . . Hanley Ramirez, who was released June 1 and remains a free agent, doesn’t seem too concerned. His Instagram story on Thursday included a photo of a gold watch on his wrist with a Ferrari key fob also in the shot. The next photo was of two tropical drinks. Ramirez has been spending time at his home in Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic as the Sox pay off his $22 million deal.

Rick Porcello is sharp as Red Sox rout Twins in trip finale

Peter Abraham

MINNEAPOLIS — Twins starter wanted nothing to do with facing J.D. Martinez in the first inning of Thursday’s game against the Red Sox.

Martinez has hit Gibson hard over the years, and with Mookie Betts on first base with one out, Gibson was not going to take any chances. His first pitch was up and in and knocked Martinez down.

Martinez walked on four pitches. Gibson executed his strategy, if a little too aggressively.

Rick Porcello was paying attention. When Eduardo Escobar, Minnesota’s No. 3 hitter, came to the plate in the bottom of the inning, Porcello’s first pitch was a remorseless fastball that darted inside and hit Escobar on the right elbow.

In protecting Martinez, Porcello was a good teammate. He was an even better one as the game unfolded, pitching seven shutout innings as the Sox beat the Twins, 9-2.

In what was a close game for six innings, Porcello never cracked and gave the Sox a much-needed victory after losing four of five.

“We definitely needed a win today,” he said after allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out five.

The Sox finished 6-4 on their road trip. They’re still two games behind the Yankees but feeling much better than they did after scoring three runs in the first two games of the series.

Porcello is 9-3 and dropped his earned run average to 3.44, a strong season well underway. But that was secondary to lifting the Sox out of their slump.

Nick Cafardo: Rick Porcello made sure the Red Sox got a win they needed

“I definitely want to be the guy on the mound,” Porcello said. “I think if you ask any of the starters, we’d all say that. That’s part of being a competitor and trying to help our ball club.

“I don’t want to be in a situation where we need a bounce-back game. But I look forward to having the ball and trying to stop the bleeding.”

Porcello allowed a two-out single by Logan Morrison in the first inning. He then retired 19 of the final 20 batters he faced, the final 16 in a row.

Porcello, who threw 65 of 97 pitches for strikes, easily could have gone another inning but came out with the Sox ahead, 8-0.

“He was great,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s a guy, he’ll give you everything he has.”

Porcello allowed four runs over six innings at Seattle last Friday. But Cora thought the final inning was his best of the season because of improvements in his tempo. That continued against the Twins.

It took a while to get going, but the Sox got their offense in gear.

Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi hit home runs and a big two-run double. The Sox had 16 hits, six for extra bases. With the exception of Rafael Devers, every starter had at least one hit.

“We were due for an outburst as a team,” Bogaerts said. “Rick was throwing zeroes up there and then we got going. Now we go back home in better shape.”

The Sox were 5 of 14 with runners in scoring position after going 2 for 22 the previous two days.

Gibson (2-5) allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings.

The Sox did not score until the fourth inning. After Mitch Moreland drew a walk, two-out singles by Brock Holt and Sandy Leon made it 1-0.

Betts led off the fifth inning with a rare opposite-field . He has 19 on the season.

The Sox opened the game up in the seventh inning against .

After Martinez singled and Moreland drew a walk, Bogaerts lined a double to left field that thumped off the padded wall and scored two runs.

Bogaerts scored when Devers grounded to second.

Matt Belisle allowed three runs in the eighth inning. Benintendi belted a two-run homer to right-center that sent a spectator’s cap fluttering down to the field. Doubles by Martinez and Moreland tacked on another run.

Jackie Bradley Jr. added an RBI single in the ninth inning.

“Rick led the way. He was in control the whole time. But our offense is not going to be down for long,” said Moreland, who was on base four times and scored twice. “We did what we had to do.”

The Sox start a three-game series on Friday against Seattle at Fenway Park.

Rick Porcello made sure the Red Sox got a win they needed

Nick Cafardo

MINNEAPOLIS — For the sixth time in their history, the Red Sox have reached 50 wins by their 76th game. In the five previous times, they won one World Series and three AL pennants, and in 1978 won 99 games and finished one game behind the Yankees.

The Yankees also reached 50 wins Thursday, doing it in their 72nd game.

Suffice to say, the Red Sox, who had lost four of five, needed a win and they got one, 9-2 over the Twins. A 6-4 road trip sounds better than a 5-5 road trip that included stops in , Seattle, and Minneapolis, and the Red Sox remained four games behind the Yankees in the loss column, and two games behind overall.

One big difference between the Red Sox and Yankees, who have won 17 of their last 21 games, is that the Yankees are 23-9 against teams .500 or better, while the Red Sox are 14-12.

Now the Red Sox return home for six games against the Mariners and Angels. Thirteen of their 22 games left before the All-Star break will be at home, and they need to take every advantage of that. Their opponent this weekend, the Mariners, are a potential wild-card team.

The Red Sox finally got some timely hits Thursday — they had been hitting .163 with runners in scoring position in their past 12 games — to pick up their struggling offense, and Rick Porcello left nothing to chance. He watched Chris Sale and David Price get no run support in the previous two games. He knew he had to be good, and he was.

Porcello pitched seven shutout innings, allowed only one hit (Logan Morrison’s single in the first), and really set the tone for the day.

The Red Sox are 15-3 on getaway days; Alex Cora likes to say that the team wants to enjoy its flight. And the Sox are 27-15 on the road, the third-best road record in the majors.

Porcello is 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA and pitching more like the Cy Young Porcello of 2016 than the 2017 version. It’s obvious Porcello loves situations in which he can win a game that the team needs.

“I definitely want to be the guy on the mound, but if you ask any one of our starters they would definitely want to be that,” he said. “It’s being a competitor and helping the team win. . . . I want the ball when you’re trying to stop the bleeding.”

The Sox didn’t take full advantage of their strong starting pitching on the road trip. In the past 13 games, the Sox rotation has a 2.24 ERA. They have no worries in that department. Drew Pomeranz is also on the mend, and the Sox could use him as a late-inning lefty out of the .

Trending topics:

■ Mookie Betts, who had been 7 for 31 since coming off the disabled list, had three hits on Thursday, including an opposite-field home run, his 19th. The Red Sox offense seemed to struggle when Betts was scuffling. It’s evident that the lineup takes its lead from its leadoff hitter. Betts singled sharply to left field to start the game and get things going. Betts said he went over some video before the game and found something that he was doing prior to his time on the disabled list.

■ Xander Bogaerts remains a key righthanded bat. He hit the ball hard on Thursday, driving in two with a seventh-inning double during a three-run inning that broke it open. Bogaerts batted fifth to add some middle-of-the-order pop, and it worked.

■ Rafael Devers went 0 for 5, though Cora liked that he put the ball in play on his RBI ground out. Devers has 12 homers but he’s also made a major league-high 15 errors. The Sox have to monitor this. We understand Devers is an outstanding prospect, and he’s only 21, but you have to make sure his presence in the lineup and in the field is positive. The Red Sox feel that it is.

■ The bullpen gave up two runs and has allowed 13 runs in their last 11 innings. This is an area of concern. The Red Sox have scouts all over baseball looking for relievers. They would love to add a lefty such as Brad Hand or Zach Britton, but they likely will be too costly. The Red Sox don’t have much to offer in the way of prospects, but they could move in a deal for a reliever.

■ The Red Sox and Twins, spring training neighbors in Fort Myers, have played each other 620 times. The all-time series is 310-310. The Red Sox are 11-1 in season series against the Twins since 2007. Minnesota took two of three in this set, and the Twins play four at Fenway July 26-29.

For Red Sox pitching prospects, velocity is simply not enough

Alex Speier

The memory remained etched in David Price’s mind: a ripple not just in the crowd but among players and coaches on the field and in the dugouts. When in 2010 he unleashed, for the first time in the big leagues, a fastball that registered 100 miles per hour, it qualified as an event for onlookers.

Now, the reaction inspired by -digit velocities is different. If a player hits 100 m.p.h., what is the first thought in dugouts?

“How far did it go?” Price said.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, of course. Velocity remains a prized commodity for pitchers. But whereas huge radar gun readings once sufficed to establish prospect status, the relationship between those two elements has weakened in recent years, for a simple reason. At a time when virtually everyone in the big leagues (and in Triple A, for that matter) can throw hard, hitters are no longer awed by 95-98 — or even 100 m.p.h. — heaters.

Pawtucket reliever Ty Buttrey — who hit 100 for the first time in 2017, both in Double A Portland and the — offers a window into a changing landscape for a pitcher’s development.

The Red Sox took Buttrey in the fourth round of the 2012 draft and gave him a first-rounder’s bonus ($1.3 million) because he had both the size (6 feet 6 inches) and mid-90s velocity of a power pitcher. The baseball world gave him any number of messages that suggested his value was tied to his velocity.

“Growing up, you see it in the Perfect Game tournaments,” said Buttrey. “Everyone talks about velocity. It’s all about velocity. Everyone thinks that’s the most important thing. If you can have that and you can pitch, that’s going to help you.

“But a lot of guys, they’re not taught to repeat their mechanics. They’re not taught to throw off-speed. They’re just trying to throw as hard as they can. You get to a certain level and that starts to backfire.”

Buttrey hasn’t arrived at that level yet. To the contrary, he has enjoyed tremendous success in Pawtucket this year — a 2.05 ERA and 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings, the highest rate in Triple A — while continuing to lean heavily on a fastball that consistently sits at 95-98 m.p.h.

According to PawSox pitching coach Kevin Walker and manager Kevin Boles, Buttrey has thrown his fastball more than 70 percent of the time this year. Yet even as he’s made considerable strides with his execution of the pitch, locating it effectively at the hands and letters, the PawSox have been pounding a simple message: a swing-and-miss fastball in Triple A does not a reliable big league reliever make.

“The arms that we’re seeing in Triple A now, 95 is not a big deal anymore — 95-97, a lot of guys are doing it these days,” said Boles. “If you see a guy lighting up 99-100 or 98, OK. But guys that sit at 95, that’s not a big a deal anymore.

“So, what are the secondary pitches in order to get guys out and to keep them off the fastball? We’re not looking to develop Triple A pitchers. We have to get to a point with something that plays up at the major league level.”

The case to alter usage for a pitcher who is enjoying considerable success can be a hard one to make. Walker and Buttrey have examined pitch usage of big league relievers such as Joe Kelly in an effort to encourage the righthander to focus on incorporating his slider and especially his changeup in a wide range of counts.

“With the stats and analysis we have now, regardless if you’re a starter or reliever, relying 65 or 70 percent of the time on a fastball just over time isn’t going to work out,” said Walker. “There are a few guys who can do that with special attributes, but for most of them, it’s being able to have a legitimate secondary, especially out of the bullpen, and not relying on one pitch.

“Triple A level and major league level, for me there’s a big difference of really being able to consistently get hitters out here with one pitch. It’s not the same up there. It’s having another pitch that you can go to and trust, any time, any count. That’s what we’re trying to get with him.”

Buttrey is buying in. In 2017, his first full season as a reliever, he was interested in seeing his stuff play up, viewing velocity as a sign of progress in his role.

“Last year, I thought [velocity] was the separator and that was going to take me [to the big leagues],” he said. “Getting older and learning more about pitching and my mechanics, that’s obviously not as important.

“We have a lot of guys who throw hard. It’s about pitchability, being able to throw your off-speed for strikes. That’s kind of the biggest thing this year.”

To that end, Buttrey is targeting a 60/40 mix of fastballs and offspeed pitches. While that may not be the best course for his short-term success in Pawtucket, his big league future depends on something other than Triple A statistics.

Even with Buttrey in an excellent run of 10 outings in which he hasn’t allowed an earned run while punching out 19 and walking 4 in 13 innings, his future depends on more than just an ability to flirt with triple digits.

“It’s really building a relationship with a guy to buy in with that trust factor of knowing, ‘Hey, my best interest is for you. I’m here for you to go up and be a major leaguer, not to get a cup of coffee and come back,’ ” said Walker.

“It’s a work in progress. He’s having a really good year, but we’re still working on the development of his other pitches to go along with that 98 and make it play up.”

THREE UP

■ In Pawtucket, utilityman Tzu-Wei Lin is on a tear, going 8 for 17 with three doubles and a homer in his last three games entering Thursday. For the year, he’s hitting .295/.349/.449, including a .313/.369/.491 line against righties.

■ As he settles into his relief role in Portland, righthander Travis Lakins is starting to show explosive stuff. His fastball is sitting in the mid-90s and touching 98, and his slider/cutter has been a swing-and-miss offering. The 23-year-old has allowed one hit and no earned runs in seven one-inning appearances, striking out 11 and walking 5.

■ Shortstop Antoni Flores, a 17-year-old whom the Red Sox signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela last year, hit .347/.439/.510 with more walks (8) than strikeouts (7) in his Dominican Summer League debut. Flores is making a case for a promotion to the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League, a development pace reserved in recent years for top prospects such as Rafael Devers and Anderson Espinoza.

THREE DOWN

■ Back in Pawtucket after a brief big league call-up this month, Sam Travis endured an 0-for-23 stretch before a double Wednesday. He entered Thursday carrying a .196/.267/.318 line, and his shockingly high 30.3 percent strikeout rate is nearly double the 16.7 percent rate he posted in Triple A last year.

■ Righthander Alex Scherff suffered an intercostal strain during a June 12 start for Single A Greenville in which his recent strong work (six starts, 2.60 ERA) was interrupted by a seven-run yield over two innings. He’s on the disabled list, though he’s not expected to be sidelined long-term.

■ While first baseman Pedro Castellanos is back with Greenville after missing more than five weeks, he has shown evidence of rust, hitting .182/.308/.273 in seven games. For the season, the 20-year-old righthanded hitter — considered something of a sleeper in the system for his strong contact skills and power potential — has posted solid numbers against lefties (.343/.361/.371) but just .207/.253/.280 against righties.

* The Boston Herald

Red Sox now on clock to catch Boston's interest

Steve Buckley

The Red Sox had so much more than good timing yesterday.

They had Brady-to-Moss timing.

On the first day of summer and the last day of a long road trip, the Sox registered a 9-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field that was across-the-board brilliant.

Rick Porcello pitched seven shutout innings. The offense produced 16 hits. The defense was crisp, - free.

Did we say across-the-board brilliant? The Red Sox were also pretty good under the boards, as the analytics kids locked away in the Fenway Park basement produced a game plan that called for right-fielder Mookie Betts to pack up and move much closer to center field when veteran Twin Joe Mauer came to the plate. You probably saw this on television: In the sixth inning Mauer hit a fly ball to exactly where Betts was standing. So pleased was Betts that after making the catch he reached into his back pocket and produced his “How To Beat the Twins Today” cheat sheet, waving it to the dugout.

That was for you, analytics kids.

But we talked about timing. Fresh off an exhausting three-city, 10-game road trip (in accordance with MLB copyright regulations, all three-city, 10-game road trips must be referred to as “exhausting”), the Red Sox are back at Fenway Park for a six-game home stand, beginning with tonight’s opener of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.

Had the Sox lost yesterday, and had they lost badly — imagine the analytics kids having Mookie stand on his head along the chalk line and Mauer’s fly to right-center rolling to the wall for an inside-the-park home run — there’d have been a lot of hollering goin’ on back home. It would have been three losses in a row for the Sox, and five losses in six tries, dropping them to three games behind the Yankees in the East.

The good timing goes even deeper. The NBA draft was held last night. While everything Danny Ainge did or did not do will require several days of analysis and dissection, the Celtics will soon be ushered off the stage for a while.

Beginning tonight, the Red Sox have 22 games remaining before the All-Star break. This includes the three games against the Mariners, surprise contenders for first place in the AL West; a three-game set against the Yankees in the Bronx; and three games in Washington against the Nationals, who don’t look as thumpy as last year’s club but are only a few games behind the upstart Atlanta Braves.

The Sox also have some cannon fodder on the schedule during this stretch — , Texas Rangers, etc., — but it’s what they do against those big-boy teams that’ll get the most attention.

And so the timing: Summer is here, the Red Sox won a big game yesterday, they’re at home against a pretty good Seattle team and next week there’s a big series in the Bronx. Yes, the Bombers (and they really are) have sent Joe Kelly-hater Tyler Austin back to Triple A for further schooling, but the rookie did his part to help the Sox-Yankees rivalry get its groove back. That’s going to be a fun series.

The Red Sox and Yankees are two of the three MLB teams that already have amassed 50 victories, the defending World Series-champion Houston Astros being the other. But don’t worry about the Astros until October, at which time you better. This is about the Red Sox and Yankees, and, for the Sox. it’s about what happens between now and the All-Star break.

Nobody’s suggesting the Sox can’t make a second-half comeback against the Yankees if they fall five or six games out of first. (See: Yankees, 1978.) But this is about interest — building it, keeping it.

As always, there are quibbles about the Red Sox. Jackie Bradley Jr., is hitting .181, which means the pretty defense and the strong arm aren’t enough anymore. Boston’s Era of Atrocious Base Running is now in its third season, it apparently making no difference if the manager is John Farrell, Alex Cora or John McGraw. And there are bullpen issues that’ll have to be addressed, assuming boss of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski can reach down into his barren farm system, dress up some kid in a stud costume and offer him to a trade partner as a sure-fire future big leaguer. That’s for later.

This is today, and today’s Red Sox are like last night’s Celtics in that they are on the clock. This is their chance to fire up the masses.

Dramatic shift helps outfield foil Joe Mauer

Jason Mastrodonato

MINNEAPOLIS — The analytics department made a bold recommendation for the Red Sox outfield alignment yesterday.

It worked out perfectly in their 9-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Rick Porcello was on the mound, following lefties Chris Sale and David Price in the first two games. When the right-hander faced the left-handed-hitting Joe Mauer, the analytics team recommended playing him to pull on the infield but drastically to go the other way in the outfield.

So, left fielder Andrew Benintendi played close to the line, Jackie Bradley Jr. was in left- center and Mookie Betts just a hair right of center field. The right field line was so wide open that anything in that area could have resulted in three or four bases.

It was so strange that the Red Sox made it a big topic of discussion before the game.

“It was an extreme one from the analytical department,” manager Alex Cora said. “The players see stuff like that and they panic. We made a few calls before. We looked at the charts and we’re like, ‘it’s right on, go with it.’ We double-checked with Rick.”

When Mauer led off the bottom of the sixth inning and stroked a line drive into the outfield, Betts hardly moved. In an ordinary alignment it might have been a double. Instead, Betts took one step back, caught it, threw the ball in and then made a gesture to the dugout, taking the cheat card out of his back pocket and waving it toward Cora with a big smile.

“I’m glad that it happened because they’re believing in what we’re doing but sometimes they see something extreme and it’s like, ‘this is out of the ordinary,’” Cora said. “I know they were happy but I was the happiest guy, like thank God they hit it right there. It reinforces what we’re trying to accomplish. You saw it and it was very extreme.

“It was good for Mookie to be in that spot and catch it. Hopefully his goes up and defensive runs saved and all that.”

TV homework

Early yesterday, Betts was studying video of his swing from both before and after a left abdominal strain caused him to miss two weeks.

He entered the day 7-for-31 (.226) with one extra-base hit since returning from the disabled list.

A slight adjustment in his mechanics resulted in a three-hit day in which he walloped an outside fastball for a fifth-inning, opposite-field homer, his 19th of the year.

“We went and looked at some video and kind of compared to what I was doing before my injury and it made a lot of sense,” Betts said. “We kind of sat down and talked for a couple of minutes and it made a lot of sense.”

Betts had struck out just 25 times in 48 games before the injury, but struck out seven times in his first eight games off the DL.

“When Mookie is going, obviously we go,” Cora said. “It’s good to see him swing the bat well. … I think they found something earlier (yesterday) so we’ll see how far he goes.”

Friendly skies

With the win, the Red Sox are now 15-3 on getaway days and 19-5 in day games.

“Always happy flights,” Cora said. “They do a good job with that.”

Any reason for the success in the finales of road series?

“I don’t think that there’s anything in particular, I think it’s just kind of how it’s gone this year,” Porcello said. “I think everybody is just focused on the next game and not really dwelling too much on the past and what happened yesterday or two days ago.”

Manager Papi

After an historic playing career, David Ortiz is giving managing a try.

The Red Sox great will be the skipper for the World Team at this year’s All-Star Futures Game on July 15 in Washington, the league announced. He’ll be opposed by former Twins teammate Torii Hunter, who will manage the U.S. Team.

This year marks the 20th annual Futures Game, which showcases the top minor league prospects. The team’s rosters and remainder of the coaching staffs will be announced in the coming weeks, the league said.

Stephen Hewitt contributed to this report.

Rick Porcello gets some offense in Red Sox rout of Twins

Jason Mastrodonato

MINNEAPOLIS — A great road trip? Maybe not.

But the Red Sox made it at least a good one with a 9-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins yesterday, completing their 10-game trip against the Orioles, Mariners and Twins with a 6-4 record.

The offense finally came alive, while the starting rotation is making a statement.

The bats come and go. The Sox have scored 50 runs in their last 14 games (3.6 runs per game), and 18 were scored in two games.

The starting pitching has yet to slump. Right now, it’s streaking. Rick Porcello threw a gem, going seven innings and allowing just one single and one walk.

How’s this for consistency? Sox starters have allowed two earned runs or fewer in 14 of their last 16 games, while the team has gone 9-7 in that span. Over their last 13 games, starters own a 2.24 ERA, the best mark in the majors. Over their last 30 games, they have a 2.90 ERA.

Ever since Drew Pomeranz was replaced by Steven Wright, the rotation has been rolling. Porcello, Wright, Chris Sale, David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez have a combined 3.17 ERA this season.

“We’ve been throwing the ball well since we reset them (with two extra off days),” Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They’ve been feeling a little bit fresher. That’s good. The day off Monday helped. We got another one on Monday. They’re good to go.”

Entering the day, Porcello (9-3) hadn’t been nearly as sharp over his previous eight starts (5.28 ERA, .288 average against, .811 OPS against) as he was in his first seven (2.14, .193, .494). But in his final inning of work against the Mariners last week, Porcello threw eight pitches, all strikes, striking out two. Cora called it Porcello’s best inning of the season.

Porcello had seven more like it yesterday as he overpowered a Twins lineup that was without its two best players. was out with a sore right shoulder, and Eduardo Escobar, who started the game, was hit in the elbow by Porcello and made an early exit.

Porcello built off his near-perfect final inning in Seattle.

“I think the overall tempo, my effort level, what I was trying to do with those pitches, I was a lot more relaxed and delivery was smooth and I executed them,” he said. “I tried to carry that tempo and everything over into today.”

The Twins went just 1-for-22 with a single, a walk and five strikeouts against Porcello, who threw 65 strikes on 97 pitches and lowered his ERA to 3.44.

“He was great,” Cora said. “He’s a guy that he’ll give you everything he has. The other guys do too. We know how dominant they can be. Rick maximizes his skills and ability and we’re very happy with the way he goes about his business.”

On the other side, Kyle Gibson had been having a breakout season for the Twins with a 3.27 ERA in 14 starts entering this one. But the Sox snapped out of their offensive skid with two runs off Gibson in six innings, then hammered the Twins bullpen for seven more.

Sandy Leon smoked a two-out single to start the scoring in the fourth inning. In the fifth, Mookie Betts put a hurting on an outside fastball and drove it to the second level in right for an opposite-field homer, his 19th long ball of the season and second since returning from the disabled list.

With Gibson out of the game, the Red Sox scored three in the seventh, two crossing home on a Xander Bogaerts double, three in the eighth and another in the ninth.

In the eighth, Andrew Benintendi joined Betts with a deep homer to right field, his 13th of the year.

“I think it was just a couple of tough days,” Betts said. “We came out ready to swing it and it just showed what we can do.”

David Ortiz to manage World Team in All-Star Futures Game

Stephen Hewitt

After a Hall-of-Fame playing career, David Ortiz is giving some managing a try.

The Red Sox great will be the manager for the World Team at this year's All-Star Futures Game on July 15 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., the league announced on Thursday. He'll be opposed by former Twins teammate Torii Hunter, who will manage the U.S. Team.

This year marks the 20th annual Futures Game, which showcases the top minor-league prospects. The team's rosters and remainder of the coaching staffs will be announced in the coming weeks, the league said.

Last season, the Red Sox' Rafael Devers participated in the game. He went 1-for-4 for the World Team.

The U.S. Team holds an all-time 12-7 advantage over the World Team.

* MassLive.com

Betts' index card: Red Sox star removes card from pocket, waves it after being in perfect position

Christopher Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Mookie Betts removed the index card that lists the team's defensive shifts from his pocket. He waved it around and smiled.

The Red Sox star had just caught Joe Mauer's flyball to right-center field in the sixth. Betts was in perfect position. He had to move back only a couple steps to make the catch.

"That was a big topic before the game," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "It was an extreme one (shift) from the analytical department."

Cora said the players sometimes panic when they see such an extreme shift.

"So we made a few calls before, we looked at the charts and they were like, 'It's right on. Yeah. Go with it.' They double-checked with Rick (Porcello)," Cora added.

The Red Sox won 9-2 over the Twins at Target Field. Zack Scott, Red Sox vice president of baseball research and development, is in charge of defensive alignments.

"I'm glad that it happened because they believe in what we're doing but sometimes they see something extreme and it's like out of the ordinary," Cora said. "I knew they were happy, but I was like the happiest guy. I was like, 'Thank God they hit it right there.' It reinforces what we're trying to accomplish. You saw it. It was very extreme. It was very extreme. It was good for him to be in that spot and catch it."

Cora joked it might help Betts' own defensive metrics.

"Hopefully his range factor goes up and his defensive runs saved and all that."

Martinez, Boston Red Sox DH: 'Anything you say (to reporters) can be flipped in any kind of way'

Christopher Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- David Price made a Fortnite reference Tuesday. He joked he could avoid pitching in the All-Star Game, if Astros manager A.J. Hinch ever selected him, by playing Fortnite the night before.

"Saw that," J.D. Martinez said, sitting in front of his locker at Target Field on Sunday.

Price's mention of Fortnite drew strong reaction on Boston sports radio Wednesday.

Told about the reaction back home, Martinez replied, "It gives them something to talk about. That's why you've got to be careful. That's why it's almost better not to even talk."

Martinez talks though. He's refreshingly straightforward. He doesn't give boring quotes. He often gives strong opinions.

He has made a seamless transition to the Boston media market. It obviously helps he actually has exceeded expectations. He's on pace for 47 homers and ranks third in the majors in OPS (1.009).

"I think the media needs to put themselves in our shoes," Martinez said. "If you don't say anything, sometimes it's better than actually saying things because anything you say can be flipped in any kind of way. And what you might take as a joke, someone might take differently."

Some people interpreted Price's Fortnite comment as a joke. Others interpreted it differently. Price made another comment in that same media scrum about how it "felt like Oct. 20" in terms of his arm and body strength. It was difficult to tell whether that remark was sarcasm. But his Fortnite comment clearly was a joke.

The tough offseason free agent market perhaps prepared Martinez in a way for the Boston media. Martinez said he "tuned in" to media reports.

He feels like reporters report information totally made up. That said, he always has gotten along well with national reporters and local beat reporters.

"I don't read but I'll watch it on TV or whatever," Martinez said. "Pretty much the important stuff gets filtered through and will get on MLB (Network). And even the stuff that comes on there is all lies. I remember that one thing I think (Ken) Rosenthal said: 'that Martinez is fed up with the Red Sox.' I'm sitting there, I'm going like, 'What? Who says this?'"

Martinez called agent after hearing Rosenthal's report.

"He's like, 'They're going to say what they want. They want a reaction. If you react it's almost worse. Just leave it alone and it will go away in a day.'”

So Martinez didn't respond. And yes, he saw plenty of Twitter notifications.

"Oh, yeah. Of course. It's Boston."

He paused, then added, "It's just crazy that they (media) can say what they want. I'm just like, 'What the heck, dude? OK.' And everybody believes it."

He said the Rosenthal report came out of "nowhere."

"I'm waiting to see Ken. I haven't seen him all year," Martinez said.

No, he's not planning on a confrontation.

"I'm just going to ask him, 'Where did you get that from?'"

Martinez has crushed nearly everything pitched to him after a tough first week and a half when he was hitting grounders and not homers.

"Kind of like I'm doing now?" Martinez said.

Sure, Martinez has experienced a bit of a tough week. But he went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and two runs in Boston's 9-2 win Sunday.

He has thrived in a way most high-priced free agents who have signed with the Red Sox haven't.

"I don't know about other guys that were here," he said.

Martinez is a simple man. He lives outside the city. He likes life here so far.

"Yeah. I'm still getting used to it. But it's cool. To me, it's like it doesn't matter. My life is going home, going to the ballpark. Go home. Go to the ballpark. Go home. Go to the ballpark. Go home. Go to the ballpark."

Yes, he repeated "go home, go the ballpark" four times.

"That's all I do. On an off day, you go out to dinner. And then maybe go walk around and then go home," Martinez said.

Friends have visited him. His parents visited the first week. But his dad still works. He owns a roofing contracting company in South Florida. So his parents haven't had the chance to be around much yet.

Martinez never has encouraged his father to retire.

"Oh, no," Martinez said. "He doesn't care about that. My dad's made good money his whole life. He could have retired years ago.

"He loves to work," Martinez added about his dad. "Gives him something to do. I believe in that. I believe that once you get to that age, when you stop working, when you stop doing something, I feel you begin to die almost. I like that he works."

Martinez envisions himself probably working in baseball in some form after he retires from playing.

"I feel like I'm pretty good at breaking down swings," he said.

Players come to him with questions about their own swings. Rafael Devers recently came to Martinez for pointers when changing from an open to a closed stance.

"I've gotten pretty good at it because I do it every single day," he added. "To be in a cage as far as a hitting coach, I don't know if I'd do that. That's a grind. These guys work their asses off. ... I don't think a lot of people don't understand the grind it is in the cage all the time. Flipping a ball. I feel bad for those guys sometimes. They never leave their hole."

Betts 'found something' before Boston Red Sox game watching video, then went 3-for-6 with homer

Christopher Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Mookie Betts went 7-for-31 (.226 batting average) with just one extra-base hits in his first eight games back from the disabled list.

But he then went 3-for-6 with his 19th homer in Boston's 9-2 win over the Twins at Target Field here Thursday.

He launched a 93.4 mph four-seamer from Twins starter Kyle Gibson over the right-center field wall. His homer traveled 99.6 mph and 381 feet.

"I think they found something earlier today so we'll see how far it goes," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

Betts didn't divulge any specifics.

But he said, "We went and looked at some video and kind of compared it to what I was doing before my injury. It made a lot of sense when we sat down and talked for a couple minutes."

As noted in a MassLive.com column after Wednesday's loss, the Red Sox have received little offensive production from the center field, catcher and second base positions this season. The offense is extremely dependent on Betts, J.D. Martinez and Andrew Benintendi.

"When Mookie's going, obviously we go," Cora said. "It's good to see him swing the bat well."

Betts, Martinez and Benintendi all had nice games.

Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and two runs. Benintendi went 2-for-6 with his 13th homer.

"We needed some guys to swing it," Betts said. "We got some guys rolling."

Betts is batting .344 with a .426 on-base percentage, .697 slugging, 1.123 OPS, 19 homers, 19 doubles, one triple and 39 RBIs in 57 games.

Cora also mentioned pregame about the importance of making contact and avoiding strikeouts with men in scoring position.

After the game, Cora pointed out Rafael Devers' RBI infield groundout with a runner at third in the seventh inning to make it 5-0.

"Man at third, less than two outs and infield in and Raffy puts the ball in play," Cora said. "If we put quality at-bats like that, we're going to score a lot of runs."

Porcello retires 16 straight, allows 1 hit in Boston Red Sox win; Betts, Benintendi homer

Christopher Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Rick Porcello walked Ryan LaMarre with two outs in the second inning. He then retired the next 16 batters in a row.

Porcello's ERA dropped from 3.70 to 3.44. He pitched 7 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit and one walk while striking out five. He also hit a batter.

Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi, meanwhile, both homered. The Red Sox won 9-2 over the Twins to salvage the final game of the series.

Boston went 6-4 on the road trip through Baltimore (3-0), Seattle (2-2) and Minnesota (1-2).The Red Sox return to Fenway Park on Friday to begin a three-game series against the Mariners.

Two of the three base runners Porcello allowed came in the first inning (single, hit by pitch). He induced 10 swings-and-misses, including four with his four-seam fastball.

Offense comes to life

Boston's offense came to life after scoring just three runs and going 2-for-22 with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series.

Sandy Leon put the Red Sox ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the fourth.

Mookie Betts made it 2-0 in the fifth. He belted his 19th homer of the season, driving a 93.4 mph four- seamer from Twins starter Kyle Gibson to right-center field. His homer traveled 99.6 mph and 381 feet.

Betts is 6-for-12 with three homers in his career vs. Gibson.

Xander Bogaerts gave Boston a 4-0 lead in the seventh with a 98.2 mph, 364-foot two-run double off the left field wall. He connected on reliever Ryan Pressly's 97.3 mph four-seam fastball.

Rafael Devers' RBI groundout later that inning made it 5-0.

Benintendi's two-run homer in the eighth made it 7-0. Back-to-back doubles by J.D. Martinez and Mitch Moreland increased Boston's lead to 8-0.

Jackie Bradley Jr.'s RBI single put Boston ahead 9-0.

Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz to manage World Team in All-Star Futures Game

Chris Cotillo

Red Sox legend David Ortiz will manage the World Team at the All-Star Futures Game on July 15 in Washington, D.C., the league announced Thursday.

Ortiz will be opposed by former Twins teammate Torii Hunter, who will manage the U.S. Team. Major League Baseball tends to choose players with ties to the host city to manage the Futures squads, but the Nationals' relative newness likely caused the league to look elsewhere.

The Futures Game, which shows off top minor-league prospects on a major-league diamond each year, will kick off All-Star Weekend in D.C. Rosters have not been announced yet, but every team usually has a representative or two.

The U.S. team leads the all-time series, 12-7. Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers participated last year in Miami, going 1-for-4 in a 7-6 loss for the World Team.

Lakins: Red Sox prospect has 94-97 mph heat in new reliever role, might be on fast track to Boston

Christopher Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The Red Sox converted Travis Lakins, a 2015 sixth-round draft pick out of Ohio State, from a starter to a reliever in late May. The results have been tremendous.

The righty has allowed just one hit and one unearned run in 7 innings (seven appearances). He hurled another scoreless inning Wednesday for Double-A Portland. He has a 0.86 WHIP. He's walked five and struck out 11.

Lakins dominated at times in the minors as a starter but he just wasn't able to stay healthy in that role. He could be on the fast track to Boston as a reliever.

"He's 94-97 (mph) with the fastball right now," said Brian Bannister, vice president of pitching development and assistant pitching coach. "He's throwing a nice, short slider at 90 mph. He's always been able to spin the curveball. But being in the bullpen takes the pressure off having to throw the curveball and the changeup for strikes as often.

"He can be much more aggressive and go after hitters," Bannister added. "So not only has the velo ticked up, the slider shape has improved. It's a lot harder and shorter now with late depth. He'll mix the curveball and changeup in occasionally now. But he doesn't have to rely on a four-pitch mix like he did as a starter."

Lakins has pitched well this season against left-handed and right-handed batters as both a reliever and starter. He has held lefties to a .194 batting average and righties to a .238 average.

A bullpen role should help his durability, too. His 2017 season ended July 3 because of a stress fracture in his elbow, the same injury that shortened his 2016 season.

* The Lawrence Eagle Tribune

One way the Red Sox could do more damage offensively

Chris Mason

A transient offense led to a so-so road trip for the Red Sox.

They finished it on a high note, knocking off the Twins 9-2 to take six of the 10 games, but don't let that fool you. Had the offense been more consistent, Boston could be sitting on top of the AL East right now.

In half the games on the road trip, the Sox scored two runs or fewer, wasting gems from Chris Sale and Steven Wright.

It's not difficult to pinpoint the problem. The regulars in the bottom third of the lineup — Eduardo Nunez, Christian Vazquez and Jackie Bradley Jr. — all sport on-base percentages under .300. None are particularly close either, as Bradley is at .278, Nunez .277, and Vazquez .253.

There's no easy fix to that depth problem, but some shuffling at the top of the lineup could lead to more runs anyway.

Mookie Betts homered again yesterday, No. 19 of the season. It was another solo shot.

With the bottom third struggling to get on base, Betts' power output isn't being maximized in the leadoff spot. Only five of his home runs have come with men on base. Fourteen have been solo.

When an offense is sputtering, the difference between a one-run shot and three-run homer can't be understated.

Betts has blossomed into a legitimate slugger, there's no doubt about it. This isn't 2016 when Betts homered 30 times, but 25 came at either Fenway Park or Camden Yards. The 25-year-old has become a threat to homer anywhere, as evidenced by yesterday's opposite-field blast at Target Field. The Sox need to capitalize on that.

The suggestion here? Flip Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the batting order.

Benintendi's on-base percentage is .378, he boasts excellent speed, and thrived in the leadoff role when Betts was sidelined with an abdominal strain. Benintendi hit .338 with a 1.078 OPS in 16 starts there, notching 13 extra-base hits; he became the sparkplug.

Though Betts has 19 home runs, he only has 39 RBIs. That's not an indictment of Betts, it's the lack of foot traffic in front of him. Shifting Benintendi changes that immediately.

Cora has loved the idea of Betts batting leadoff since long before spring training. When he took a look at the Red Sox roster, he envisioned Betts setting the tone a la of the Astros.

"I come from a place where we want to put pressure on the pitcher right away," Cora said in December. "You look at the athletes we have, Mookie Betts will be kind of like our George Springer. From pitch one we’re going to try and make the opposition grind and execution, and that’s not easy to do."

With all due respect to Springer — an All Star in his own right — he's not on Betts' level. The Red Sox can get more out of him.

A new age manager, Cora sees the leadoff hitter as one who will get the most at-bats. While that's true, you can have the best of both worlds batting second. Almost as many plate appearances with more damage to be done within them.

Take a look around the league.

Mike Trout, the best player in the game, bats second. ? He's in the No. 2 hole for New York. Even Cora's Astros have put reigning MVP Jose Altuve in the second spot, along with Alex Bregman. That's the way the game is shifting.

The Red Sox would be well suited to give their best player a whirl there, too.

Numbers don't lie

The home runs within the Red Sox lineup highlight the of the importance of foot traffic. As Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi have led off, most of their homers have been solo shots. The further down the lineup you go, the most damage is being done with the long ball.

Here's a look at the Red Sox top five hitters:

MLB average: 2509 home runs, 1511 solo, 60.2 percent

Mookie Betts: 19 home runs, 14 solo, 73.7 percent

Andrew Benintendi: 13 home runs, 9 solo, 69.2 percent

J.D. Martinez: 22 home runs, 12 solo, 54.5 percent

Mitch Moreland: 10 home runs, 5 solo, 50 percent

Xander Bogaerts: 12 home runs, 6 solo, 50 percent

* RedSox.com

Porcello dominates, bats erupt in 50th win

Ian Browne

MINNEAPOLIS -- The bats finally livened up for the Red Sox on Thursday afternoon, but starting pitcher Rick Porcello didn't really need them to.

The righty put on a pitching clinic (seven shutout innings, three baserunners) at Target Field while leading Boston to a 9-2 victory over the Twins to salvage the finale of a three-game series and finish a 10-game road trip through three different time zones with a 6-4 mark. It was yet another happy flight for the Red Sox, who improved to 15-3 on getaway days this season.

Boston improved to 50-26, just a few minutes after the Yankees became the second team in the Majors this season to hit the 50-win plateau. The Astros reached 50 on Wednesday.

"Today his tempo was outstanding," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "Two-seamer in, mixing up with the breaking ball. He was under control. And it was a 2-0 game for a while there, so he had to make some quality pitches to a good left-handed-loaded lineup. We're very pleased with the way he threw the ball."

Porcello allowed just one hit -- and it was a single by Logan Morrison in the first. Porcello issued a walk with two outs in the second and didn't allow a baserunner the rest of the day. While improving to 9-3 and lowering his ERA to 3.44, Porcello had five strikeouts and was pleased to be able to come through when his team needed it most.

"Yeah, I want to be the guy on the mound," Porcello said. "I think, if you ask any one of our starters, we'd probably all say that, and that's part of being a competitor and trying to help the ballclub. Like you said, we don't want to be in these situations, but we needed a bounce-back game and I look forward to having the ball and trying to stop the bleeding."

After scoring two runs or fewer in four of their previous six games, the Sox's offense closed the road trip with some encouraging productivity.

Mookie Betts belted a solo homer to right in the fifth. It was the 19th of the season for the star , but just his second since returning from the disabled list on June 11.

Xander Bogaerts added a two-run double in the seventh to give Porcello some more breathing room.

Andrew Benintendi put the game away with a two-run rocket to right in the eighth.

"We needed some guys to swing it," said Betts. "We got some guys rolling and we hit with some guys on base, so, yeah, we did a good job today."

"Yeah, we definitely needed a win today, especially to end this long road trip and dropping the first two games to these guys, so it was definitely nice for us to come out strong," Porcello said. "Offense swung the bats great late in the game and we were able to get the win."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED For all the highlight-reel hits the Red Sox had during a 16-hit day, the at-bat that pleased Cora the most was a fielder's-choice RBI grounder by Rafael Devers that made it 5-0, Red Sox, in the seventh.

"For everything that went on offensively, I was pointing out that there was an at-bat that people won't talk about," said Cora. "In the seventh, less than two outs, infield in and Raffy puts the ball in play. That's what we were talking about earlier in the game. If we put up quality at-bats like that, we're going to score a lot of runs."

SOUND SMART Porcello's one hit allowed represented his fewest in any start since May 22, 2011, against the Pirates. Porcello's mastery of the Twins also continued, as he beat them for the 11th time, which ties him with the ageless Bartolo Colon for third most among active pitchers.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS When Joe Mauer flew out to right-center to open the sixth, it looked like the most routine play imaginable. Betts didn't even seem to have to move. But the beauty of the play was that the Red Sox's analytics department had called an audible before the game to adjust the way the club was positioning Mauer, especially with Porcello pitching.

After Betts got the ball, he pulled an index card out of his pocket (Boston's fielders all use them for positioning purposes) and waved it at the dugout with a huge smile on his face.

"Yeah, that was a big topic before the game," said Cora. "It was an extreme one from the analytical department. They see stuff like that and they panic. We made a few calls before [the game]. We looked at the charts and we're like, 'It's right on, go with it.' We double checked with Rick and I'm glad that it happened, because they're believing in what we're doing but sometimes they see something extreme and it's like, 'This is out of the ordinary.'

"I know they were happy, but I was the happiest guy, like, 'Thank God they hit it right there.' It reinforces what we're trying to accomplish. You saw it and it was very extreme. It was good for him to be in that spot and catch it. Hopefully his range factor goes up and defensive runs saved and all that."

HE SAID IT "That means they know where we're at and understand how important it is to finish strong. For whatever [reason], there were a few games we felt that we could've stolen [on this trip] or gotten [another] win here or there, but 6-4 is 6-4. It's a good trip." -- Cora

UP NEXT Knuckleballer Steven Wright, who has basically been untouchable in his first three starts since replacing the injured Drew Pomeranz in the starting rotation, will try to get the Red Sox off to a strong start when he opens a six-game homestand on Friday night against the Mariners. After losing a 1-0 heartbreaker to Wade LeBlanc last weekend in Seattle, Wright gets a rematch against the Seattle southpaw in the opener of this three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Breakout game shows Betts back in All-Star form

Ian Browne

MINNEAPOLIS -- It can't be viewed as mere coincidence that the Red Sox got their offense back on track the same day Mookie Betts went 3-for-6, including a home run, in his best game since returning from the disabled list.

Boston's human sparkplug from the leadoff spot, Betts helped lift the Sox to a 9-2 victory over the Twins on Thursday afternoon at Target Field.

Betts is the best all-around player on the Red Sox, and one of the best in baseball. He leads American League outfielders with 1,568,417 All-Star votes.

"All around, when Mookie is going, obviously we go," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "It's good to see him swing the bat well."

Betts hammered an opposite-field solo homer to right in the fifth inning to boost Boston's lead to 2-0.

It was the 19th homer of the season for Betts, and second in 34 at-bats since coming off the disabled list.

In an encouraging development, Thursday was the second straight multihit game for Betts.

Prior to Thursday's contest, Betts slashed .226/.351/.323 with one RBI in his first eight games back from the left abdominal strain that kept him out of action from May 27 to June 10.

The breakout could at least be partly attributed to some pregame discussion and work with the coaches.

"We went and looked at some video and kind of compared to what I was doing before my injury or whatever and it made a lot of sense," said Betts. "We kind of sat down and talked for a couple of minutes and it made a lot of sense."

After scoring two runs or less in four of the previous six games, the Sox erupted for 16 hits on getaway day in Minnesota.

"We needed some guys to swing it," said Betts. "We got some guys rolling and we hit with some guys on base, so, yeah, we did a good job today."

And most vitally, they got Betts going again.

Most pressing questions facing AL East teams

Ian Browne

The decision-makers for each team are entering the busy season, and their phones should be buzzing with possibilities. The non-waiver Trade Deadline is July 31, and the buyers and sellers are crystal clear in the American League East.

The Yankees and Red Sox are in search of the final pieces that can turn their already strong squads into juggernauts, while the Blue Jays, Orioles and Rays will likely look to turn enticing trade chips into future gains.

Here are the key questions for all five AL East clubs as the Deadline draws near.

BLUE JAYS The question: Will Josh Donaldson recoup enough value in the coming weeks to justify a trade prior to the Deadline?

Donaldson hasn't played since May 28 because of a sore left calf muscle. Before that, a right shoulder injury caused him to miss three weeks in April. As a result, Donaldson has just five home runs and 16 RBIs as the end of June quickly approaches.

The 2015 AL Most Valuable Player Award winner is expected to return soon, but he'll need to bounce back in a hurry if the Blue Jays want to jumpstart a potential rebuild with a big July trade. A qualifying offer at the end of the year remains a possibility, but if Toronto can get a haul for Donaldson before the Deadline, that's the course of action it is expected to take.

ORIOLES The question: Will superstar Manny Machado be traded?

Machado is a hot commodity on a last-place team, so it seems like a no-brainer that he will be moved. But it's not necessarily a sure thing, as the O's didn't like any of the offers they received during the offseason for their prized shortstop, who can be a free agent after the season.

So what will it take? Young, controllable talent -- preferably pitching -- is what Baltimore wanted last offseeason. Given that Machado is essentially a rental for the team that acquires him, the Orioles won't get an organization-changing haul, but there still will be a lot of pressure to get something of substance in return. Further complicating matters is that O's vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette is also in the final year of his contact.

RAYS The question: Will Chris Archer get traded?

Archer, who is on the disabled list with a left abdominal strain, has a deal that pays him $6.4 million this season and $7.7 million in 2019, which is relatively affordable compared to other pitchers of a similar talent level. So the question is, will Archer be healthy by the time the Deadline rolls around, and if he is, can the Rays find a suitable trade partner who values the right-hander enough to part with the prospect haul that they would want in return?

Of course, a trade for Archer, who is one of Tampa Bay's most popular players, would further signal the Rays' decision to get younger, which could have an adverse effect on the team's efforts to get public funding for a new stadium.

RED SOX The question: Will the Red Sox get another impact arm in 'pen?

In his first two pennant races running Boston's front office, vice president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski bolstered his bullpen. In 2016, the Red Sox got Brad Ziegler, and he helped the team win the AL East. Addison Reed was similarly effective in helping Boston close out the division last year. With Carson Smith out for the season after injuring his shoulder and Tyler Thornburg still an uncertainty in his rehab from thoracic outlet syndrome, Dombrowski is likely going to have to hit the bullpen market again.

A power left-hander would be a particularly good fit for manager Alex Cora, considering all his best relief arms are right-handed. The cost for Padres southpaw Brad Hand could be exorbitant, but Dombrowski will stay in touch with San Diego all the way up to July 31. Baltimore's Zach Britton is another possibility.

YANKEES The question: Can they add a starting pitcher?

General manager Brian Cashman has been searching for a starter since the offseason, when the team settled for re-signing CC Sabathia to a one-year contract with a belief that they could upgrade in late July if necessary. As anticipated, the rotation has proven to be a concern, with second-year lefty Jordan Montgomery out for the year due to Tommy John surgery and right-hander Masahiro Tanaka expected to miss a month after straining both hamstrings while running the bases in a game against the Mets. The Yankees have patched things together by summoning righties Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga from the Minors, but with a postseason berth in sight, Cashman is open to dipping into the club's prospect reserves to add a stabilizing veteran like the Rangers' Cole Hamels or the Blue Jays' J.A. Happ. Cashman recently said that he has touched base with 20 of the 29 other clubs on some level, a number that will certainly inch closer to 29 as July 31 nears.

* WEEI.com

Red Sox 9, Twins 2: Top of order, Rick Porcello lead team to much-needed win

Ryan Hannable

After dropping the first two games of the three-game series against the Twins, the Red Sox couldn't afford to be swept by a team in third place in the AL Central.

Thanks to the top of the order and Rick Porcello, that didn't happen as the Red Sox routed the Twins, 9-2, Thursday afternoon to close out a long road trip.

Each of the first five batters in the Red Sox order recorded multi-hit games, including homers from Mookie Betts (three total hits) in the fifth inning and Andrew Benintendi in the eighth inning. The Red Sox scored three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to blow the game open. As a team, the Red Sox finished with 16 hits.

On any other day, Porcello would have been the only story as the right-hander was masterful.

Porcello tossed seven shutout innings, allowing only one hit in the process. He walked one and struck out five, while lowering his ERA from 3.70 to 3.44. The right-hander has now won three out of his last four decisions.

With things being so tight in the AL East every game is crucial, so Thursday was a much-needed victory.

Of players who have at least 100 at-bats against the Twins, Bogaerts is ranked third all-time in batting average. He trails only Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldson.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Red Sox make the necessary adjustments at the plate and end trip with win

Sean McAdam

MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Cora arrived in the dugout for his daily pre-game media availability yesterday morning, shortly after 10:30 Central time, and as he took his seat on the bench, noted that it would a challenge for the assembled reporters to come up with interesting questions.

After all, as Cora wryly noted, he had spoken with the same group only 12 or so hours earlier, and as the manager noted, not much had changed overnight and early Thursday morning.

But then, as it turns out, the Red Sox went out and played the final game of their long, three-city, three time zone, 10-game road trip, and in a very real sense, everything had changed.

The same team that had collected just four hits — three of them singles — in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss suddenly cranked out 16 hits, including five for extra base.

The same team which seemed incapable of producing a big hit with runners in scoring position (0-for-9 Wednesday; 2-for-22 in the series to date; and 17-for-104 in their last 12 games) suddenly was ringing hard-hit balls all over Target Field, delivering clutch hit after clutch hit.

The same team which of late seemed incapable of adding on runs late to provide themselves with more breathing room — and lived to regret it with some bullpen malfunctions cost them games — took a tenuous 2-0 lead and tacked on three runs in the seventh, three more in the eighth and another in the ninth.

And the same team that was positively listless in the bottom third of their lineup (2-for-20 in the first two games against the Twins) was suddenly a productive force, getting five hits, two runs and two RBI from the last three spots in the batting order.

Add it all up, and the Red Sox cruised to an easy 9-2 victory over the Twins, providing them with yet another getaway game victory, and not incidentally, a winning record (6-4) for their two week odyssey across America.

The turnaround came at the top, too, with Mookie Betts, who had been quiet since returning to the lineup in Baltimore, having collected just one extra-base hit on the entire road trip before Thursday. But after singling in the first and popping up in the third, he crushed a pitch to right in the fifth inning, giving him his first homer in 26 at-bats.

“When Mookie’s going, obviously, we go,” said Cora. “It’s good to see him swing the bat well.”

Betts had watched some video Thursday morning and detected a mechanical glitch in his swing, which he declined to identify.

“We sat down (with hitting coach Tim Hyers) and talked for a couple of minutes and it made a lot of sense to me,” offered Betts.

If Betts set the tone, there was more to come throughout the lineup. Andrew Benintendi had a single and a homer of his own. J.D Martinez singled and doubled later in the game. Xander Bogaerts smacked a two-run double to key a three-run seventh.

For the past few days, Cora had been preaching about the need for Red Sox hitters to stop expanding the zone and to hunt for pitches in the middle of the plate rather than chasing pitchers’ pitches on the edges of the plate. The Sox had been getting their opportunities — starter Lance Lynn walked five in five innings Wednesday night — but the Sox were too impatient to capitalize.

In his pre-game session Thursday morning, Cora had also stressed the need for the Sox to simply put the ball in play more. They had fanned 10 times on Tuesday night, and though that number had cut back to five in Wednesday’s loss, the art of making productive outs seemed to have been lost.

That, too, got corrected in Thursday’s romp. Rafael Devers, the only member of the starting lineup to go hitless, nonetheless contributed a groundball to second with the Xander Bogaerts at third with one out in the seven, delivering another add-on run for the Sox.

It was, tellingly, the first thing that Cora chose to highlight post-game.

“For everything that went on offensively,” said Cora, “there was an at-bat that people won’t talk about. It was man at third, less than two outs, infield in, and Raffy put the ball in play. That’s what we were talking about (earlier). If we put up quality at-bats like that, we’re going to score a lot of runs.”

The way they had for most of the season, until the last week.

BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 9, Twins 2 – Offensive outburst, Porcello save the day

Sean McAdam

HEADLINES

Porcello embraces the role of stopper: The Red Sox had lost two straight and four of their last five before Thursday’s road trip finale, but they had a determined starter on the mound in Rick Porcello. Turning in his best outing of the season, he allowed just one hit over seven scoreless innings, willing his team to snap its mini-losing streak. Porcello got better as the afternoon wore on. He allowed his only hit in the first and retired the final 16 hitters he faced in succession. “We definitely needed a win today,” Porcello said. “I definitely want to be the guy on the mound (in these situations). I think if you ask any of our starters, we’d probably all say that. That’s part of being a competitor and trying to help our ballclub. We don’t want to be in these situations were we need a bounce-back game, but I look forward to having the ball and trying to stop the bleeding.” As a window into the competitiveness, Porcello wasted no time in avenging the fact that Twins starter Kyle Gibson sent J.D. Martinez to the dirt with a pitch in the top of the first. In the bottom of the same inning, Porcello threw a fastball that drilled Eduardo Esocbar on the elbow – a display that showed his teammates that he had their back.

Defensive shifting works!: The Red Sox devote a lot of time to studying where opposing hitters tend to hit the ball and position their fielders accordingly. The team’s analytics department determined that the outfielders should shift way around to left against left-handed hitting Joe Mauer. That meant having right fielder Mookie Betts shifted way around toward center against Mauer, leaving most of right field unoccupied. Sure enough, leading off the sixth, Mauer hit a ball that Betts had to move about a half-step to glove. After making the catch and throwing the ball back into the infield, Betts took the information card that instructs players where to position themselves for every member of the lineup and with a smile, playfully waved the card toward the Sox’ dugout. “That was a big topic before the game,” said Cora with a smile. “It was an extreme (shift) from the analytical department. The (players) see stuff like that and they panic, so we made a few calls before, and they were like, ‘It’s right on — go with it.’ I’m glad that it happened because while (the players) believe in what we’re doing, sometimes they see something extreme. I was the happiest guy because…it reinforces what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Bottom portion of lineup contributes: Entering the road trip finale, the Red Sox had been getting almost nothing out of the lower-third of their lineup. And when the top portion of order cools off — as inevitably happens — the Sox’ entire offense shut down. So it was good for the Sox to get production from the likes of No. 7 hitter Brock Holt (single, double, run scored), Sandy Leon (walk, hit-by-pitch, run-scoring single, infield single, run scored) and Jackie Bradley Jr. (RBI single). In all, five of the team’s 16 hits were generated by the final three members of the lineup.

TURNING POINT

As well as Porcello was pitching, the Red Sox were clinging to a 1-0 lead when the game moved to the top of the fifth. The solo homer by Mookie Betts seemed to ignite something in the Red Sox’ lineup. They managed three more hits that inning and while they left the bases loaded without scoring after the home run, it unlocked their offense and gave them some momentum as they began adding on in the seventh and eighth.

TWO UP

Mitch Moreland: The first baseman has been trending downward in the last week or so, but after a single and a walk Wednesday night, busted out with a single, double and two walks and two runs scored.

Xander Bogaerts: Dropped back to his customary spot, No. 5, in the lineup, he had an infield single and a huge two-run double that was part of the team’s three-run seventh inning.

ONE DOWN

Hector Velazquez: Charged with mopping up for the final two innings, he allowed three hits and a sacrifice fly, good for two runs, in the eighth and ninth with the Red Sox leading 9-0.

QUOTE OF NOTE

“They understand how important it is to finish strong. There were a few games that we could have stolen, a win here, a win there, but 6-4 is 6-4. It’s a good trip.” Alex Cora on the team winning the finale to give itself a winning road trip.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

The Red Sox improved to 19-5 in series finales.

Boston is now 32-4 when scoring first.

The one-hitter by Rick Porcello was his first since 2011.

Andrew Benintendi’s homer was his sixth in the last 18 games.

Mookie Betts reached base seven times in the three-game series here.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox return home for a six-game homestand, hosting the Seattle Mariners for a weekend series. On Friday, it will be Steven Wright (2-1, 1.23 ERA) vs. LHP Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 2.63) at 7:10 p.m. from Fenway.

Final: Red Sox 9, Twins 2 – Offense comes alive

Sean McAdam

MINNEAPOLIS – Limited to just three runs in the first two games of this series, the Red Sox lineup sprung to life Thursday afternoon, pounding out 16 hits and spanking the Minnesota Twins 9-0 to end their long three-city road trip on a high note.

The Sox got at least one hit from every member of their starting lineup except one and smacked two homers to support the superb pitching of Rick Porcello, who allowed a first inning single and then didn’t allow another hit over seven strong innings. He retired the final 16 hitters he faced.

In addition to the homers (Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi), the Sox got five hits with runners in scoring position — or, three more than they had managed in the first two games at Target Field.

3:21 Strange aspect of Porcello’s start: after getting all three outs in the first inning on the ground, he’s had just one groundout since. Everything else has been in the air (seven popups or flyouts; two lineouts) and strikeouts (five).

3:12 Bogaerts was convinced that the line drive he hit to left was going out. Instead, it hit about halfway up the wall in left and Bogaerts had to motor…quickly. Then, thanks to a looping throw home, he was able to advance from second to third.

2:47 Porcello finds himself on a nice roll, retiring the last eight in a row and 11 of the last 12.

2:28 First homer by Mookie Betts since June 13, dating back 26 at-bats. Doubles the Sox’ lead to 2-0.

2:18 A rarity – a hit with a man in scoring position and it came from the bottom of the order. Sandy Leon handled a slider in on his hands, and drills it hard into right field, scoring Mitch Moreland from second base.

1:44 Two hallmarks from this series continue – inability to hit with runners in scoring position and lack of production from the bottom half of lineup. Through two innings, the Sox are 2-for-24 with RISP in this series. Meanwhile, lineup spots 6-through-9 are a collective 4-for-30.

1:31 There’s little doubt that drilling Eduardo Escobar was intentional by Rick Porcello, after Kyle Gibson sent J.D. Martinez sprawling to the dirt in the top of the inning. Porcello is decidedly old school and is intent on protecting teammates. You can agree or disagree with this tactic, but at least he kept the pitch below the shoulders and wasn’t headhunting.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins WHEN: 1:10 p.m. WHERE: Target Field WHAT’S UP: The Red Sox will try to avoid being swept for the first time this season with today’s matinee finale. Boston has lost the first two — 6-2 in the opener and 4-1 Wednesday night — and has lost four of their last five overall. Since going 4-0 to start this 10-game, three-city trip, the Sox have won just once. A big part of the problem has been the offense, which has generated just two runs or fewer in five of the last nine games. The Twins, meanwhile, are buoyed for their last two games, having come into this series six games under .500. STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (8-3, 3.70) vs. RHO Kyle Gibson (2-4, 3.27) TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Betts RF Benintendi LF Martinez DH Moreland 1B Bogaerts SS Devers 3B Holt 2B Leon C Bradley CF

TWINS

Mauer 1B Dozier 2B Escobar 3B Morrison DH Grossman LF Kepler RF Adrianza SS LaMarre CF Wilson C

* Associated Press

Porcello allows 1 hit through 7; Red Sox beat Twins 9-2

MINNEAPOLIS -- What Rick Porcello did six days ago carried over into an outstanding performance.

Porcello allowed one hit in seven innings, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi homered, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 9-2 Thursday to avoid a series sweep.

Xander Bogaerts had two RBI for the Red Sox, who had a season-high 16 hits, and finished 6-4 on a road trip through Baltimore, Seattle and Minnesota.

"We definitely needed a win today, especially to end this long road trip after dropping the first two games to these guys," Porcello said.

He was dominant in a game that was 2-0 through six innings.

After a first-inning single by Logan Morrison, ending a 0-for-30 stretch against Boston, Porcello (9-3) retired 19 of 20 Twins hitters, including the last 16. Throwing 97 pitches, he struck out five and walked one.

Porcello finished seven innings for the first time in 10 starts since April 29. His best previous start of the season was April 12 against the Yankees, when he allowed two hits and struck out six in seven innings.

Last Friday in Seattle, Porcello allowed four earned runs and seven hits in six innings. But his mood was much different in the final inning.

"I was just pitching a lot more relaxed, the delivery was smooth and I executed, so I tried to carry that with the tempo and everything into today," he said.

"He was under control," said manager Alex Cora.

Kyle Gibson (2-5) allowed seven hits and two earned runs in six innings for Minnesota, striking out five for his ninth quality start this season. He had only 10 in 2017 and eight in 2016.

Betts hit the first pitch of the fifth inning into the front row of seats in right-center for a 2-0 lead. He finished with three hits and has reached base eight times in his last three games.

"He likes to take a lot of first pitches and then once in a while ambushes, and he got him that time," said Twins manager .

The Red Sox were 5 for 14 with runners in scoring position, finishing the three-game series 7 for 36.

"It was a just couple tough days," Betts said. "We came out ready to swing it and we just showed what we can do."

Bogaerts' two-run double keyed a three-run seventh against Ryan Pressly. Benintendi hit a two-run shot in the eighth.

PREPARATION PAID OFF

With left-handed hitting Joe Mauer up, Betts, playing right field, shifted to right-center and barely had to move to catch a fly ball. Betts then waved a card telling him where to play toward the dugout.

"It was an extreme one from the analytical department," Cora said. ". I'm glad that it happened. They believe in what we're doing, but sometimes they see something extremely out of the ordinary. I was the happiest guy, like `Thank God they hit it right there."

PORCELLO PURPOSE?

Porcello moved into a tie for the American League with his 10th hit batsman in the first, when he knocked Eduardo Escobar down with a fastball that plunked the major league leader in doubles just above his right elbow. Escobar stayed in the game for two more innings, but was removed after striking out in the third, and was diagnosed with a bruise.

In the top of the inning, J.D. Martinez had to hit the dirt to dodge a high-and-inside pitch from Gibson.

"It didn't look particularly good to me," said Molitor, pausing to choose his words carefully.

Said Escobar, through an interpreter: "I respect Porcello a lot. He's one of the best pitchers in the league. If he did it on purpose, I don't really know what the purpose is behind it. I've never done anything against him. I was trying to protect myself, and we'll just move on."

Gibson hit Sandy Leon with a pitch in the sixth. In the game Tuesday, Red Sox starter Chris Sale hit Mauer before Jose Berrios plunked Betts and Mauer was hit again by reliever Robby Scott.

TRAINERS ROOM

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz, out since June 5 with left biceps tendinitis, is expected to get on a mound this weekend and throw a bullpen session, according to Cora.

Twins: OF Eddie Rosario missed the game with a sore throwing shoulder. He is considered day to day. Since May 1, Rosario is hitting .364 with a league-best 68 hits in that span, including 16 doubles and 13 home runs.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Open a six-game homestand Friday with RHP Steven Wright (2-1, 1.23) scheduled to start against Seattle LHP Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 2.63).

Twins: Welcome Texas on Friday for a three-game weekend series with RHP Fernando Romero (3-2, 4.17) to face the Rangers' LHP Mike Minor (4-4. 5.35).

*The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Rick Porcello, Red Sox shut down punchless Twins 9-2

Phil Miller

Baseball is full of complex statistics, but the math on this one is fairly simple: 2-2=0. Take an offense with only two dynamic hitters, subtract both of them because of injury, and the result is exactly what you would expect: zero chance of winning.

Eddie Rosario’s sore shoulder kept him out of the lineup, Eduardo Escobar’s elbow — after being bruised by a first-inning Rick Porcello fastball — knocked him out of the game, and the rest of the Twins managed only four hits Thursday in a 9-2 loss to the Red Sox at Target Field.

Porcello “threw the ball well. He had a lot of stuff working,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “But you know, the guys who go out there have to try to find a way to get it done.”

None of them could, at least not until the game had turned from mismatch to farce. Logan Morrison pushed a single into left field in the first inning, and Ryan LaMarre beat out an infield hit in the eighth. In between? Plenty of peace and quiet while the 32,631 in attendance wondered where the Twins’ offense went.

Mostly, it was in the trainer’s room. Molitor scratched Rosario from the lineup 90 minutes before first pitch, when he was informed that his hottest hitter was nursing a sore throwing shoulder, a minor injury that the Twins are determined not to allow to become major. And when Escobar used his right forearm to block a pitch he feared was headed for his head, the major league extra-base-hit leader was able to remain in the game only two more innings.

“He’s sore and swollen. It got the bottom of the triceps more than the elbow,” Molitor said of Escobar, who after the game displayed a dark bruise with the baseball’s stitching visible. “He gave it a go, but you could tell he was having trouble swinging in that second at-bat.”

It was worse than that, actually, Escobar said. “I wanted to stay in there for my teammates,” he said, “but I couldn’t throw the ball when we went out the next inning to warm up.”

Without that duo atop the batting order, the Twins’ offense worked like a flashlight without batteries.

Porcello overpowered the Twins with two-seam fastballs to retire the last 16 hitters he faced. He struck out five over seven innings to record his seventh career victory at Target Field. That ties Porcello with his former Tigers teammate Justin Verlander for most wins by a visiting pitcher in the stadium’s nine-year history.

“We tried our best,” Kyle Gibson said, “and unfortunately we just couldn’t get anything going.”

His day was the biggest casualty of that short-circuit, because Gibson — asked to fight with virtually no ammunition — somehow manage to make the Twins competitive while he was in the game. Working with virtually no margin for error, the righthander had only one inning among his six without a baserunner and he walked three Red Sox, but he continually worked out of trouble. A two-out single off Joe Mauer’s glove in the fourth inning by Sandy Leon scored a run, and Mookie Betts belted his 19th home run to lead off the fifth inning.

“Betts likes to take a lot of first pitches, and then once in awhile he ambushes,” Molitor said. “He got [Gibson] that time.”

Despite it all, Gibson still lowered his ERA to 3.25 and turned in his fifth quality start in his past six games. The fact that the Twins have won only two of them is directly attributable to this fact: The Twins have scored one or two runs in the other four.

And once he departed, Boston took out two days’ worth of frustration on the Twins’ bullpen, scoring in every Gibson-less inning. Andrew Benintendi homered, Xander Bogaerts had a two-run double, and the Red Sox took a 9-0 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. Mitch Garver and combined to produce two way-too-late runs (which scored on a groundout and a flyout, naturally), but the Twins finished with fewer than a half-dozen hits for the fourth time this month.