Rain delays, Red Sox trouble Twins in 9-2 loss
BOSTON -- Chris Young hit a three-run homer and Christian Vazquez homered for the first time in more than a year as the Boston Red Sox routed the Minnesota Twins 9-2 on Tuesday night in a game delayed twice by stormy weather.
Drew Pomeranz (7-4) pitched five innings, three after a 1 hour, 16 minute delay between the second and third as a thunderstorm slowly passed over Fenway Park. Despite the interruption, Pomeranz held the Twins to one unearned run and four hits, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter.
Dustin Pedroia had three hits and scored twice and Xander Bogaerts had two hits and scored twice for the Red Sox as they won consecutive games for the first time in nearly two weeks.
The two rain delays totaled 2:06.
The Red Sox capitalized on three errors by the Twins and took over first place in the AL East, moving one-half game up on the New York Yankees, who lost 4-3 to the White Sox on Tuesday.
Hector Santiago returned for the Twins after a stint on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder. After waiting through a one-hour rain delay before the game even started, Santiago pitched the first two innings but did not come out for the third following the second weather delay.
Santiago (4-7) allowed two runs, one hit, walked two and struck out two and hit a batter. The only hit he allowed was Vazquez's two-run homer in the second that put the Red Sox up 2-0. Vazquez, a catcher who hadn't homered since May 1, 2016, also stole a base as Boston scored the first five runs and kept the Twins' offense out of sync most of the long night.
The Red Sox led 6-1 when Young blew it open with a three-run shot off one of the signs above the Green Monster in left.
Minnesota didn't score until the fifth when Jorge Polanco drew a one-out walk and Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton followed with consecutive singles off Pomeranz, who was fading and faced six batters in the inning.
Eduardo Escobar added a solo homer for Minnesota in the eighth, when only a handful of fans remained with the game extended into Wednesday morning.
Boston hadn't won consecutive games since beating Philadelphia three in a row June 12-14.
https://youtu.be/thJPert-udg
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Santiago was making his first start since June 6 at Seattle. The Twins placed him on the 10-day DL the next day with a strained left shoulder. ... To make room on the roster for Santiago, the Twins sent recently acquired RHP Dillon Gee to Triple-A Rochester.
Red Sox: DH Hanley Ramirez sat out his second straight game with a bruised left knee from a pitch that hit him Sunday. ... Boston manager John Farrell was suspended by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for poking umpire Bill Miller in the chest during an argument after a balk was called Saturday against the Angels. Bench coach Gary DiSarcina took over managing duties as Farrell served the one-game suspension.
https://youtu.be/S0z-_ADyz0k
UP NEXT
Twins: Rookie LHP Adalberto Mejia (2-3, 4.93 ERA) pitches in Fenway Park for the first time.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (4-9, 5.00), the 2016 AL Cy Young winner, looks to win consecutive starts for the first time this season.