Red Sox 15, Twins 4: Gibson Hiccups, Defense Screwups

You wanna know how ridiculous this got? Boston subbed Rusney Castillo as a pinch-runner for DH David Ortiz in the ninth, then pulled RF Mookie Betts and left Castillo in as a defensive replacement. That's right. They moved a DH to right field, forfeiting the DH, so if the Sox had batted again (HAHAHA) their pitchers would have to hit.

That almost feels like rubbing it in.

So, is Kyle Gibson all better now? Hard to say. To start off he looked like pre-DL 2016 Gibson, giving up a single, double, walk, and long dong in the first inning (HR courtesy of red-hot Jackie Bradley Jr.) After that, he looked more like 2015 Gibson, with 4.2 more innings, four more hits, and one more run. So which is the real Gibson? Prognosticate away, Nostradamuses!

Casual Twins fans (wise enough to not follow this terrible team) could have been tricked into thinking this was a tight game later on. Kurt Suzuki plated three with his second homer of the year, and some patented small-ball tied it up at 4-4 one inning later.

Oh ho ho. Not so fast, you dastardly believers, you!

Then things went full Twins "circus baseball" (a phrase Dan Gladden uttered on the radio some weeks ago, and it fits, lo it fits.) Errors by Oswaldo Arcia, Buddy Boshers, a wild pitch from J.T. Chargois helped Boston drive 55 -- as in 5 5 for the eighth and ninth. It was Arcia's second error of the game, which is why he doesn't play much. That and he doesn't hit much.

I know you're all wondering, WDCD (what did Chargois do?) He did nervous rookie pitcher stuff. He threw hard as advertised, got hit anyway (some baseball players can do this), walked two guys, had no strikeouts, and if he retires tomorrow will have a career ERA of 67.50. He won't retire tomorrow and will get better.

For the rest of our Kid Watch, Max Kepler had a hit, Byron Buxton had two walks, and Buddy Gardenhire Boshers allowed two unearned runs 'cuz of Arcia/WP/crappy throw to first, etc., etc.

And guess what? There's a game TOMORROW, too! Hey, go to 0:45 on this clip and watch Big Papi give Byung-Ho a massage.

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