While the rotation of the Boston Red Sox has been inconsistent at best in 2016, there is one guarantee: when Rick Porcello (W, 13-2) takes the mound at Fenway Park, he will not disappoint.
Rick Porcello shines at Fenway Park once again
The right-hander became the first Red Sox pitcher to begin a season 10-0 at home since Don Schwall in 1961, striking out eight batters in 6.2 innings to lead Boston to an 8-7 series-salvaging victory over the cellar-dwelling Minnesota Twins. Boston has now emerged victorious from seven consecutive games in which Porcello has received the starting nod, as the 27-year-old has garnered a 3.21 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 70 innings at The Fens this season.
The seven-year veteran was not perfect, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits throughout his outing. However, the vicious Boston offense was there to lift him on their shoulders once again, even without right fielder Mookie Betts (sore right knee) and designated hitter David Ortiz (rest) out of the lineup.
Red Sox smash three long balls off of Tommy Milone
The Red Sox tagged Twins starter Tommy Milone (L, 3-3) for eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 4.2 innings as designated hitter Hanley Ramirez (2-for-4, three RBI, two runs scored), second baseman Dustin Pedroia (2-for-4, two runs, RBI), and first baseman Travis Shaw all hit home runs to carry the offensive attack. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts enjoyed yet another flourishing performance, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs while lifting his average to a stellar .333 on the season.
The Twins offense gave the Red Sox's pitching staff all it could handle, however, their potency was not enough to unseat Boston, who remained 1.5 games behind the surging Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. Catcher Juan Centeno enjoyed a 3-for-4, three-RBI, one-run outing while designted hitter Kennys Vargas drove in two runs for Minnesota, who fell to 37-62 on the season.
Porcello fell behind early, yielding a two-RBI double to Centeno in the top of the second inning. However, the Red Sox bats fought back with a crucial two-out rally in the bottom half of the third. With two down, Pedroia and Bogaerts hit consecutive singles to left, opening the door for Ramirez to crush his fifth home run in the last five games deep onto the Green Monster seats to give Boston a 3-2 lead.
Minnesota right fielder Max Kepler tripled to lead off the following frame before scoring on an RBI groundout by Vargas, but the Red Sox quickly silenced the Twins in the latter part of the inning. With one down, Pedroia crushed his 10th home run of the season 408 feet on top of the Green Monster to provide Boston with the go-ahead run. Then, Bogaerts and Ramirez singled consecutively and Twins third baseman Miguel Sanó committed an error at third base on a grounder by Boston third baseman Aaron Hill, allowing the fifth Red Sox run of the day to cross the plate.
The error ended up costing Minnesota dearly, as Shaw proceeded to step up to the plate and mash his 12th long ball of the season, a towering 402-foot blast to right, which plated three more insurance runs to give Boston an 8-3 lead.
As it turns out, the Red Sox would need each of those insurance tallies, with their unsteady bullpen nearly imploding once again. After Porcello allowed the Twins to creep to within three runs following a two-RBI single by the .203-batting left fielder Byron Buxton in the seventh inning, Boston reliever Matt Barnes struggled in the eighth, loading the bases with none out.
Red Sox manager John Farrell then summoned reliever Junichi Tazawa from the pen. Recently activated from the disabled list, the veteran right-hander nearly escaped from the inning barely touched, allowing just an RBI sacrifice fly by Vargas before striking out left fielder Eddie Rosario. However, Centeno proceeded to continue his superb day at the plate with a two-out RBI single, giving Buxton the opportunity to deliver with the tying run on third.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, the rookie came up short, fanning on an offspeed offering by Tazawa, and interim closer Brad Ziegler managed to work a perfect ninth inning for his first save in Boston to preserve the victory.