Twins - 000 000 000 - 0 3 0 Red Sox - 000 010 00x - 1 6 0Rubby De La Rosa allowed only one hit through seven innings (7-1-0-3-3, 105) and retired the last 13 batters he faced. A.J. Pierzynski's sacrifice fly scored Daniel Nava with the night's only run.
RDLR had a shaky start, going to a 3-0 count on each of the first three batters to begin the game. Two of them walked, but Josh Willingham grounded into an inning-ending double play.
In the third, RDLR fell behind Sam Fuld (batting .128 since May 1) 3-0 and issued a five-pitch walk. After Fuld stole second without a throw, Santana dropped a single into center. Fuld held at third and Jackie Bradley's throw was cut off by Mike Napoli behind the mound. Napoli had Santana caught between first and second - the Twins rookie shortstop must have rounded the bag with his head down, assuming Bradley's throw would go through - but then Napoli whirled and fired to third, because Fuld had begun moving down the line towards the plate. Xander Bogaerts threw to Pierzynski, who ran Fuld back to the bag, tagging him as Santana jogged into third. Brian Dozier ended the threat with a groundout to second.
De La Rosa then retired the Twins in order in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.
Nava began the home half of the fifth by dropping a single down the left field line, the ball landing about three or four inches fair. Stephen Drew (who had doubled to start the third and been stranded at second) lined an opposite-field single. The ball hit the wall where the stands jut out and the ball caromed out to left field. Santana ran out and fired the ball to second, where Dozier put the tag on Drew, who was (quite stupidly, considering the 0-0 score and the fact there was no outs) trying for a double. Nava scored as Pierzynski also went the other way, flying to deep left.
Andrew Miller began the eighth for Boston by striking out Oswaldo Arcia. That was Miller's only batter as Burke Badenhop came in. Kurt Suzuki reached base when his sinking liner to center dropped in front of Bradley. Eduardo Escobar lined out to left, as Jonny Gomes (who had batted for Nava in the seventh) made a superb running catch towards the foul line. Fuld then doubled to right, sending Suzuki to third. Badenhop plunked Santana to load the bases, but he recovered, striking out Dozier on a sharp slider. (Badenhop has not allowed an earned run in his last 30 innings of work.)
Koji Uehara set down the Twins in order in the ninth: Joe Mauer flied to shallow left, Willingham grounded to third, and Kendrys Morales lined out to center.
Boston (32-38) is now 8.5 GB the Blue Jays, who begin a series against the Yankees (4.5 GB) in New York on Tuesday night.
Holt, LF
Bogaerts, 3B
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Napoli, 1B
Nava, RF
Drew, SS
Pierzynski, C
Bradley, CF
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