[OmahaBaseball]

Twins Push Past Red Sox Behind Ryan’s Gem

Boston, MA — The Minnesota Twins blended early power with steady pitching and just enough late offense to secure a 7–4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park. Right-hander Joe Ryan (13-14) delivered one of his sharpest performances of the season, striking out nine over seven commanding innings to earn his 13th win; Game Score 74. He allowed only three hits—a solo homer in the fifth being the lone blemish—and walked two while throwing 64 of his 99 pitches for strikes.

Minnesota struck first in the second inning when Carlos Correa launched a solo shot over the Green Monster for a 1–0 lead. Correa later added a sacrifice fly as part of a two-RBI afternoon. The Twins continued to pressure Boston starter Brayan Bello in the fifth, stringing together a rally that featured Paul Goldschmidt’s leadoff triple and an RBI double from Royce Lewis. Max Kepler and Manuel Margot each chipped in with two-out RBI hits during the mid-game surge, helping Minnesota push ahead 5–1 by the time Bello exited after 4⅔ innings. Goldschmidt paced the Twins’ offense with a five-total-base day that included two hits, a walk, and his first triple of the season. Lewis, Kepler, Margot, and Christian Vázquez each supplied multi-hit games as Minnesota accumulated 12 hits and left nine runners on base. Kepler also swiped his 13th stolen base of the year.

Boston’s offense sputtered early but surged late, sparked by rookie catcher Kyle Teel’s solo homer in the fifth. Marcelo Mayer carried the Red Sox lineup, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, and two RBI, including a run-scoring double in the eighth. Rafael Devers added an RBI double of his own as Boston chipped away at a 7–2 deficit in the final two innings. Reliever Jhoan Duran, normally reliable, was tagged for three runs on six hits over the final two innings. Still, he managed to shut the door with the tying run on deck in the ninth after Mayer’s two-run triple brought Fenway to life.

Bello (15–13) struggled with command for Boston, issuing four walks to go with eight hits over 109 pitches; Game Score 28. Minnesota’s balanced attack and Ryan’s efficiency ultimately proved too much for the Red Sox, who fell to 84–71 as they continue battling for postseason position. The Twins, meanwhile, improved to 88–67 with the win, strengthening their own playoff outlook.

Player of the Game: Joe Ryan

AL East Standings: Tied 2nd Place, 8 Games Behind