BOSTON — Kyle Gibson put an end to a two-game hitting outburst by the Red Sox, allowing just a pair of hits in the first inning and none over the next seven as the Minnesota Twins edged Boston 2-1 Friday night.
Brian Dozier hit a solo home run for the Twins in the second inning and Miguel Sano added an RBI single in the sixth. It was all the scoring Minnesota needed as Gibson (3-6) did the rest.
The Red Sox got a leadoff homer from Mookie Betts and a one-out single by Xander Bogaerts in the first, then went hitless until the bottom of the ninth against closer Brandon Kintzler.
Kintzler got his seventh save, preserving the lead in a wild bottom half of the ninth. Michael Martinez and Dustin Pedroia started the inning with consecutive singles and Bogaerts walked to load the bases with nobody out and slugger David Ortiz coming up next.
Kintzler got Ortiz to ground into a double play, then Hanley Ramirez flew out to right to end the game and Boston’s three-game winning streak.
Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4) allowed two runs on six hits and struck out eight and walked one over 5 1-3 innings for Boston. Joe Mauer was the only batter Rodriguez walked, reaching with one out in the sixth before Heath Hembree took over for the Red Sox.
Hembree walked Dozier, then Sano doubled to score Mauer with what would be the winning run.
After Bogaerts’ single in the first, Boston didn’t get another man on base until Gibson walked Brock Holt to lead off the sixth. Dozier got Holt with a diving stop on a hard shot up the middle and nearly doubled up Michael Martinez at first. Gibson and the Twins got right out of the threat when Pedroia grounded into a double play.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.02) gets his team-high 20th start. Nolasco also shares the team lead for losses, picking up his eighth Monday despite holding Detroit to one run on three hits and three walks in six innings.
Red Sox: LHP David Price (9-7, 4.36) gets his first start since taking the loss Sunday when the Yankees ended Boston’s six-game winning streak. Price struck out just one batter in 5 2-3 innings, ending a string of three straight starts with at least 10 strikeouts.
TRAINERS ROOM
Twins: C Kurt Suzuki was not in the starting lineup for the Twins, getting some rest and avoiding the heat. The temperature at game-time was 92 degrees. Manager Paul Molitor said Suzuki should return Saturday.
Red Sox: Betts left the game in the fifth inning with soreness in his right knee. RHP Junichi Tazawa (right shoulder impingement) returned to the roster after being activated from the 15-day DL.
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