Minnesota (50-40) at Boston (54-39)

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Twins hope to 'squeeze' a win in Boston

Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
The Twins seem to have a powerful weapon in that their two hitters at the top of the order, Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla, are never afraid to lay down the bunt and beat out a hit, rather than swing away, at any time. Minnesota hopes that skill will help them salvage the finale at Fenway on Wednesday.
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Twins probable pitcher

Livan Hernandez

  • #61 RHP
  • (9-5) 5.18 ERA 43 SO
Twins: After delivering his worst start of the year in Cleveland last month when he allowed seven runs in just three innings, Hernandez rebounded in his second career start against the Tribe. The right-hander delivered his 10th quality start of the season by allowing just three runs on five hits over six innings. Hernandez has been better with his location lately and the Twins hope that's the case when he faces Boston for the second time this season. Hernandez allowed just three runs over six innings while picking up the win in that contest.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 143-133 4.29 2487.1 853 1589 .281
Season 9-5 5.18 116.1 23 43 .336
July 1-0 4.50 6.0 3 4 .217
Vs. Boston 1-0 4.50 6.0 1 1 .385

Series at a Glance

Standings - 07/09/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Minnesota Twins (AL Central) 50 40 .556 2.0 32-18 18-22
Boston Red Sox (AL East) 54 39 .581 3.0 33-10 21-29
Stats - 07/09/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
MIN .277 441 60 422 53 542 4.17 806.2 890 210 527
BOS .279 460 103 433 77 601 3.81 823.2 756 341 677
bos

Eighth-inning woes fall away at Fenway

Mark Remme / MLB.com
The eighth inning had been a sticking point in the Red Sox's recent 3-7 road trip, but the past two nights at Fenway, Boston rallied in the eighth inning for a pair of one-run victories. The team could finish off a sweep of the Twins and guarantee itself at least a .500 homestand before the All-Star break with a win on Wednesday.
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Red Sox probable pitcher

Josh Beckett

  • #19 RHP
  • (8-5) 3.70 ERA 105 SO
Red Sox: Beckett made his ninth straight start with at least six innings in the Red Sox's 6-4 win over the Yankees on Friday, allowing three earned runs, four hits and two walks in six frames. He wasn't perfect -- the Yankees made him work during his 102-pitch start -- but he got the job done. In two career starts against Minnesota, he's 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 85-57 3.73 1121.1 359 1064 .238
Season 8-5 3.70 107.0 22 105 .238
July 1-0 4.50 6.0 2 4 .190

Twins hitters vs Josh Beckett

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Butera, Drew - - - - - - - -
Casilla, Alexi - - - - .333 3 0 0
Cuddyer, Michael - - - - .167 6 1 1
De Los Santos, Estarlin - - - - - - - -
Hardy, J.J. .333 3 1 2 .500 6 1 3
Harris, Brendan - - - - .333 6 0 2
Hughes, Luke - - - - - - - -
Kubel, Jason - - - - .333 6 1 2
Mauer, Joe - - - - .600 5 0 1
Morales, Jose - - - - - - - -
Morneau, Justin - - - - .333 9 1 2
Plouffe, Trevor - - - - - - - -
Pridie, Jason - - - - - - - -
Punto, Nick - - - - .375 8 0 0
Ramos, Wilson - - - - - - - -
Span, Denard - - - - .000 2 0 0
Tolbert, Matt - - - - - - - -
Tolleson, Steven - - - - - - - -
Valencia, Danny - - - - - - - -
Young, Delmon - - - - .417 12 0 1

Red Sox hitters vs Livan Hernandez

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Brian .000 1 0 0 .000 1 0 0
Bates, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Brown, Dusty - - - - - - - -
Drew, J.D. 1.000 3 0 0 .345 29 2 4
Ellsbury, Jacoby - - - - .667 3 0 0
Hermida, Jeremy - - - - .273 11 0 0
Iglesias, Jose - - - - - - - -
Kotchman, Casey .667 3 0 0 .667 3 0 0
Lowell, Mike .333 3 0 0 .364 33 0 3
Lowrie, Jed - - - - - - - -
Martinez, Victor - - - - - - - -
Ortiz, David .333 3 0 1 .400 5 0 1
Pedroia, Dustin .000 2 0 0 .000 5 0 0
Reddick, Josh - - - - - - - -
Varitek, Jason .000 3 0 0 .000 5 0 0
Wagner, Mark - - - - - - - -
Youkilis, Kevin - - - - .250 4 0 0

Just your typical day at Fenway (50-41) (55-39)

Red Sox 18, Twins 5

Sluggers sputter

Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
Justin Morneau's two-run homer capped off a three-run first, but starter Livan Hernandez allowed six runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Jason Kubel's homer and Nick Punto's RBI single helped cut the deficit in the sixth, but the Twins left the bases loaded in the seventh.

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Series at a Glance

 

No need for rallying

Ian Browne / MLB.com
After two eighth-inning comebacks for one-run victories, the Red Sox emphatically finished off their sweep of the Twins with 23 hits, including a seven-run seventh. Every starter had at least one hit, including four from Jacoby Ellsbury. Kevin Youkilis homered with four RBIs.
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Red Sox 18, Twins 5

MinnesotaABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Span, CF3010201.316
Casilla, 2B5110004.309
Mauer, C3121200.328
Morneau, DH5122004.314
Kubel, RF4111111.266
Young, LF5130000.293
Lamb, 1B5010015.227
Punto, SS5021025.302
Buscher, 3B2000002.306
  a-Harris, PH-3B1010100.256
Totals3851456422 

a-Singled for Buscher in the 6th.

BATTING
2B: Casilla (11, Beckett), Mauer (23, Beckett), Young (17, Beckett).
HR: Morneau (13, 1st inning off Beckett, 1 on, 1 out), Kubel (13, 6th inning off Beckett, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Span; Casilla 2; Mauer 3; Morneau 5; Kubel 4; Young 4; Lamb; Punto 2; Harris.
RBI: Mauer (38), Morneau 2 (67), Kubel (44), Punto (16).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kubel; Morneau 2; Casilla 2; Punto 3.
GIDP: Casilla.
Team LOB: 12.

BASERUNNING
CS: Span (2, 2nd base by Beckett/Varitek).

FIELDING
E: Span (3, throw).
 
BostonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Ellsbury, CF6241001.282
Pedroia, 2B6323005.313
Youkilis, 1B5334013.319
Ramirez, M, LF5233001.285
  1-Bailey, PR-LF1000000.000
Lowell, 3B4222102.297
Casey, DH5132012.371
Varitek, C4121002.220
  a-Cash, PH-C1111000.241
Moss, RF5110025.274
Lugo, SS4221102.267
Totals461823182423 

a-Homered for Varitek in the 8th.
1-Ran for Ramirez, M in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Ramirez, M 2 (18, Hernandez, Hernandez), Varitek (14, Bonser), Ellsbury (11, Bonser), Casey (11, Bonser), Pedroia (27, Bass), Youkilis (25, Bass).
3B: Moss (1, Bass).
HR: Cash (2, 8th inning off Bass, 0 on, 0 out), Youkilis (14, 8th inning off Reyes, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Ellsbury 5; Pedroia 3; Youkilis 7; Ramirez, M 5; Lowell 2; Casey 4; Varitek 3; Cash 4; Moss 3; Lugo 2.
RBI: Ramirez, M 3 (59), Lowell 2 (56), Casey 2 (10), Youkilis 4 (57), Varitek (28), Ellsbury (27), Pedroia 3 (44), Cash (11), Lugo (20).
2-out RBI: Ramirez, M; Lowell 2; Casey; Youkilis 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ramirez, M; Moss; Pedroia; Lugo 2.
SF: Youkilis.
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING
SB: Lugo (12, 2nd base off Hernandez/Mauer).

FIELDING
E: Youkilis (3, pickoff), Lopez, J (3, pickoff).
Outfield assists: Ramirez, M (Punto at 3rd base).
DP: (Lugo-Pedroia-Lowell).
 
MinnesotaIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Hernandez (L, 9-6)4.111660205.44
Bonser 1.24441106.50
Breslow 0.11221102.33
Bass 1.16550015.27
Reyes 0.11110012.92
 
BostonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Beckett (W, 9-5)5.08552223.94
Lopez, J (H, 9)1.13002102.25
Hansen (H, 7)0.22001005.68
Delcarmen 1.00001004.34
Timlin 1.01000106.46

Bonser pitched to 3 batters in the 7th.
Beckett pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.
Hansen pitched to 2 batters in the 8th.

Pitches-strikes: Hernandez 82-55, Bonser 28-17, Breslow 11-6, Bass 33-20, Reyes 5-4, Beckett 104-67, Lopez, J 37-24, Hansen 19-9, Delcarmen 10-5, Timlin 19-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: Hernandez 7-4, Bonser 1-3, Breslow 0-0, Bass 3-1, Reyes 0-1, Beckett 4-8, Lopez, J 1-1, Hansen 1-1, Delcarmen 3-0, Timlin 2-0.
Batters faced: Hernandez 24, Bonser 10, Breslow 3, Bass 10, Reyes 2, Beckett 24, Lopez, J 8, Hansen 5, Delcarmen 3, Timlin 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Bonser 1-0, Breslow 2-1, Bass 3-3, Reyes 1-1, Lopez, J 1-1, Hansen 2-0, Delcarmen 2-0.
EjectionsMinnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire ejected by 1B umpire Charlie Reliford. (7th).
Umpires: HP: Scott Barry. 1B: Charlie Reliford. 2B: Greg Gibson. 3B: Sam Holbrook.
Weather: 87 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 19 mph, Out to CF.
T: 3:59.
Att: 37,470.
July 9, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner