The Red Sox took a 4-3 loss to the Twins Thursday, ending their 9 game win streak.
Garrett Richards tossed 5 innings in the loss, struggling with command early but was able to pick it up quickly and toss a gritty 5 innings. He did not issue a single earned run, but the Twins managed to grab 2 runs off of him in the 2nd inning.
“I was trying to throw quality strikes and stay away from guys’ power zones,” Richards said. “It’s a talented lineup. You can’t make mistakes with these guys.”
The Twins would grab another run in the 6th off of Sawamura, when Miguel Sano belted a solo shot. But that would be all for the first 7 innings.
The Red Sox would start the top half of the 8th with Christian Arroyo getting hit by a pitch, breaking the streak of 14 consecutive retired batters. Twins’ Hansel Robles would proceed to then issue walks to Hunter Renfroe and Marwin Gonzalez. That would leave Alex Verdugo with the bases loaded with two outs.
After the Red Sox struggled to muster anything offensively all game, Alex Verdugo would rope a game tying, bases clearing 3-run double into left field to complete a 10 pitch at-bat.
“I was zoned in, locked in and I wasn’t going to let anything go,” Verdugo said. “Anything close, let it go and let’s see. Good things happened.”
“We live for those,” Verdugo later said. “The long ABs, the grind of it, the bases loaded, we’re down late in the innings. It’s those things that when you’re hitting in the cage in the off-season, you’re playing wiffle ball with your buddies as a kid… ‘Alright, bottom of the ninth, two outs.’ It’s those simulated things you always do your reps for.”
Adam Ottavino would pitch the 9th, and would allow a walk-off bloop single from Max Kepler, and the Twins would snap the Red Sox streak of 9 games.
“We just beat the American League Central champions three out of four,” he said. “We’ve been playing good baseball. We didn’t play great overall, but we did everything possible to win the game. And that’s what we take out of this.”
The Red Sox will head home and take on the White Sox for a four game split.
**PHOTO VIA CRIAG LASSIG**