Bobby Dalbec, center, celebrates with Kyle Schwarber after hitting his second home run of the game Thursday night against the Minnesota Twins. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
BOSTON — Red Sox ace Chris Sale joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers on record with three immaculate innings, Bobby Dalbec homered twice and Boston beat the Minnesota Twins 12-2 on Thursday night.
Dalbec drove in seven runs and Rafael Devers hit his 30th homer, a two-run shot during a five-run sixth that helped the Red Sox put away the Twins and seal Sale’s third victory in as many starts since his return from Tommy John surgery.
Sale (3-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing two runs on two hits. Willians Astudillo hit a two-run homer in the fifth, immediately after a slow roller down the third-base line by Ryan Jeffers gave the Twins their first hit.
Astudillo ended up pitching, too, moving over from third base to start the bottom of the eighth and giving the Twins’ actual relievers a breather on a hot night with a flight home still to go.
Dalbec’s three-run homer in the second off John Grant (4-8) gave Sale some early cushion and started an offensive outburst for the struggling Red Sox.
The Red Sox hit multiple homers for the fourth straight game, but the highlight of the night was Sale’s nine-pitch third inning. Sale struck out Nick Gordon, Andrelton Simmons and Rob Refsnyder on three pitches each. Refsnyder was fooled badly by a slider in the dirt on the final pitch of the inning.
BOBBY D!
Dalbec’s first homer reached the second row of seats atop the Green Monster in left field and put Boston up 3-0. His second came on a line drive in the seventh that just cleared the yellow line on top of the 37-foot wall and pushed the lead to 12-2.
Fans chanted “Bobby!” after he rounded the bases and continued the chant until Dalbec climbed back out of the dugout to answer the curtain call.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: Infielder Jorge Polanco was out of the lineup because of soreness in his back. Manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins planned to give Polanco, who homered for the second straight game Wednesday, a day off this week and Thursday seemed best. “He probably wants to be in the lineup, too, but we were going to pick a day and today’s the day,” Baldelli said. … Right-hander Kenta Maeda (right forearm tightness) was examined for a second opinion by a doctor in Dallas. The Twins planned to meet with him Friday to discuss treatment options, which Baldelli said may or may not include surgery.
Red Sox: Hunter Renfroe was placed on the bereavement/family medical emergency list, causing a shuffle in the lineup. Boston recalled Jarren Duran from Triple-A Worcester and started him in center field. Kyle Schwarber, who was supposed to make his first start playing first base since joining the Red Sox last month in a trade with Washington, stayed at DH and J.D. Martinez played left field. Xander Bogaerts, who snapped an 0-for-13 slump with a ninth-inning single Wednesday night, was out of the lineup and was replaced at shortstop by Kiké Hernández. Christian Arroyo replaced Hernández at second base.
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