MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Xander Bogaerts matched a career high with four hits, including a three-run home run, and Steven Wright pitched into the eighth inning as the Boston Red Sox topped the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Friday night.
Bogaerts opened the scoring with his homer in the fifth inning off Twins starter Tyler Duffey. Bogaerts’ seventh homer of the season landed in the bullpens in left-center field for a 3-0 lead. The home run was one of 16 hits by the Red Sox.
Bogaerts’ chance to homer was the result of Minnesota’s inability to turn a double play earlier in the inning. Mookie Betts hit a grounder to third baseman Trevor Plouffe, who threw to second base. But Minnesota’s Brian Dozier lost the handle on the ball and couldn’t make the throw to first for an inning-ending double play.
Minnesota didn’t have much of an answer for Wright (7-4) and his knuckleball. The Twins’ best threat came when they loaded the bases in the fifth. Wright escaped the jam when Joe Mauer grounded out to end the inning.
Wright had tossed complete games in his previous three road starts before Friday. He left in the eighth inning after allowing a one-out single to Mauer.
Wright surrendered one unearned run in 7 1/3 innings. In his last five starts, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 0.99 ERA in 36 1/3 innings.
Boston added three runs off Duffey (2-5) in the sixth inning. Christian Vasquez drove in Jackie Bradley Jr. for a 4-0 lead. Travis Shaw came around to score on Dustin Pedroia’s RBI double, and Bogaerts’ single to left scored Vasquez.
Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the majors. He finished 3 for 5 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.
Duffey was knocked out after 5 1/3 innings and surrendered six runs and 10 hits. He has an ERA of 8.36 in his last five starts.
Minnesota’s run came in the eighth inning. Eduardo Nunez reached on an error by first baseman Hanley Ramirez and scored on Robbie Grossman’s groundout.
ORTIZ HONORED
Boston DH David Ortiz, who is retiring after the 2016 season, was honored before Friday’s game. He spent his first six seasons with the Twins before signing with the Red Sox for the 2003 season. Before Friday, Ortiz ranked first all-time in batting average (.435), on-base percentage (.487) and slugging (.899) among visiting players with at least 35 at-bats at Target Field. Ortiz went 2 for 5 with a double Friday.
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