BOSTON -- The Twins used the long ball on Friday night and came back from a three-run deficit to defeat the Red Sox, 8-6, at Fenway Park. It’s a great way to start a 10-game road trip.
“I was jazzed up that we were able to battle back. We did a nice job -- a total team victory,” said Twins manager Derek Shelton.
Minnesota’s comeback started when Boston right-hander Justin Slaten replaced left-hander Payton Tolle to begin the seventh inning. Entering the game, Slaten hadn't allowed a run in his previous seven outings, but that changed in the seventh with Boston up by three.
With one out and Luke Keaschall on first, Byron Buxton swung at a 2-2 pitch from Slaten and hit the ball over the Green Monster for his 16th home run of the season to cut the Twins' deficit to one at 6-5.
After touching home plate, Buxton had a word with teammate Austin Martin. While Brooks Lee was battling Slaten and reaching first base on a walk, Buxton was giving Martin advice on how to deal with Slaten. Martin wouldn’t reveal what Buxton said to him, but Martin listened and hit a two-run shot into the Monster Seats to give Minnesota a one-run lead.
“We talk about leadership. That’s leadership. Anything that is going to put us over the edge, that’s what Bux does for us,” Shelton said.
“[Buxton] gave me a tip on the pitcher and what to look for, so I was just ready for it,” Martin said.
The home run by Martin snapped an 0-for-18 hitless streak. Despite the slump, Martin still has a respectable slash line of .297/.413/.398. A fourth outfielder for most of his career, nobody expected him to be hitting in the middle of the order this year. He was batting third on Friday.
“I just come in and try not to do too much. I know who I am as a player,” Martin said. “I have a better understanding of that now. I just try to do my part. I don’t try to put the team on my back or anything like that. I try to do all the small things right. That would put everybody in a position to succeed.”
The Twins added to their lead in the ninth inning when Lee scored his second run of the game on a bases-loaded walk by Trevor Larnach.
The bullpen -- Travis Adams, Yoendrys Gómez, Eric Orze and Anthony Banda -- shut down the Red Sox during the final five innings after left-hander Connor Prielipp had his worst outing of the season, allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks in four innings.
“The Red Sox swing it pretty well, so somebody has to come in and put a stop to [their momentum],” Adams said. “I did my best, threw two shutout innings and I think that helped get some momentum for the boys.”
This victory was one of the Twins’ best of the season, because they were down by four runs after one inning before battling back in the top of the second to make it a one-run game. Then they took the lead after being three runs down going into the seventh inning.
“I would say, yes, I would put this victory up there as far as falling behind early in the game. Yeah, I would put that up there for sure as far as the environment we are playing in,” Martin said.