American League Game Summary - Boston at Minnesota
(Monday, April 23rd)
Final Score: Boston 6, Minnesota 5
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Cody Ross' second home run of the game
proved to be the difference as Boston opened a three-game set against
Minnesota with a 6-5 victory.
Ross hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning and added a go-ahead solo
blast in the ninth while Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run shot in the
second for the Red Sox, who snapped a five-game losing streak.
Jon Lester went seven innings in the start for Boston and gave up five runs on
six hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Daniel Bard (1-2) got the win
for getting the final two outs of the eighth.
"You need all wins, but this is another good team builder," Red Sox manager
Bobby Valentine said.
Danny Valencia hit a two-run home run and Ryan Doumit added a two-run double
for the Twins, who have dropped their past three.
Jason Marquis was tagged for five runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts over 6
1/3 innings. Matt Capps (0-1) suffered the loss for serving up the homer in
the ninth.
Capps got the first two outs of the ninth, but Ross got hold of an 0-1
fastball and ripped it over the right-field wall.
"I don't think I've ever seen Cody Ross hit a ball that way," Capps said. "But
he put a good swing on it, squared it up well and won the ballgame for them."
Alfredo Aceves then worked around a one-out single in the ninth to pick up his
third save of the year.
Boston got on the board in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from
Adrian Gonzalez and increased its lead to 3-0 in the second on a two-run homer
from Saltalamacchia.
Minnesota, though, put up four runs in the fourth to take the lead. With one
out, Joe Mauer singled and Josh Willingham followed with a walk. After Justin
Morneau struck out, Doumit hit a double to chase home both runners and
Valencia followed with a shot over the wall in left-center for a 4-3 lead.
A run-scoring double-play from Jamey Carroll scored Trevor Plouffe in the
fifth to give the Twins a 5-3 lead.
Boston answered in the seventh to tie the game as Saltalamacchia hit a one-out
single and Ross followed with a blast over the left-field wall for his fourth
homer of the season.
Game Notes
Boston took five of seven from Minnesota last season...Ross has 13 RBI on the
season...Josh Beckett pitches for Boston on Tuesday, while Nick Blackburn
takes the mound for Minnesota.
04/24 00:58:43 ET
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