Twins 7, Red Sox 8: Comeback falls short, 5 run 5th sinks Twins

Tommy Milone has been known to struggle the second and third time through the lineup, and it happened again today.

After being given a 2 run lead in the top of the second, he gave up a 3 run bomb to Hanley Ramirez in the 3rd. The Twins got a run back in the 4th on a ground out by Kennys Vargas after Max Kepler tripled. That tied the game at 3 a piece.

The 5th inning was a disaster for Milone and the Twins. Dustin Pedroia started it off with a solo home run to center. Xander Bogaerts and Ramirez singled, but Milone was able to strike out Jackie Bradley for the second out. One out away from escaping the inning, Miguel Sano boots a grounder, allowing Bogaerts to score and the inning to continue. The next guy up, Travis Shaw, gets a hanging curve and promptly blasts it out to right center for a 3 run homer. The Sano error cost the Twins four runs in a five run 5th.

The Twins weren’t done scoring, though. In the 7th they pushed 2 runs across, both scoring on a Byron Buxton single. Two more runs came in the 8th on a bases loaded sac-fly by Vargas, and a single from Centeno, but strikeouts from Rosario and Buxton ended the rally. The top of the order for the Twins went quietly in the 9th, and the game ended 8-7.

At least we split the series, I’d say that’s pretty good against a team like the Red Sox.

Studs: Juan Centeno, Kennys Vargas

Duds: Tommy Milone, Miguel Sano,

ROLL CALL!

Have a good week, everyone.