On April 18th, 2023, the Minnesota Twins faced off against the Boston Red Sox in a highly anticipated matchup at Fenway Park. Both teams had gotten off to a strong start to the season, with the Twins boasting a 10-3 record and the Red Sox at 8-5.
The starting pitchers for the game were Kenta Maeda for the Twins and Eduardo Rodriguez for the Red Sox. Maeda had been dominant on the mound in his first three starts of the season, allowing just one run in 16 innings pitched. Rodriguez had struggled a bit, allowing seven runs in 11 innings pitched.
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The game began with both pitchers looking sharp, as they retired the first three batters they faced. In the top of the second inning, the Twins broke through for two runs. A double from Jorge Polanco and a single from Alex Kirilloff put runners on the corners with nobody out. A groundout from Josh Donaldson brought home Polanco, and a sacrifice fly from Miguel Sano brought home Kirilloff, giving the Twins an early 2-0 lead.
Maeda continued to dominate the Red Sox’s lineup, not allowing a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning when Rafael Devers singled to left field. However, Maeda was able to work out of trouble and keep the score at 2-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Twins added to their lead. Donaldson led off the inning with a single, and Sano followed with a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. A groundout from Byron Buxton brought home Donaldson, making the score 3-0 in favor of the Twins.
The Red Sox finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a leadoff single from Xander Bogaerts, Devers hit a two-run home run to right field, cutting the Twins’ lead to 3-2.
Maeda was pulled after six innings, having allowed two runs on three hits while striking out seven batters. He was replaced by reliever Taylor Rogers, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning to keep the Twins ahead.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Twins added two more runs to their lead. A leadoff walk to Max Kepler and a single from Polanco put runners on first and second with nobody out. Kirilloff followed with a double to bring home Kepler, and a groundout from Donaldson brought home Polanco, making the score 5-2 in favor of the Twins.
The Red Sox tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, loading the bases with nobody out. But Rogers was able to work out of trouble, getting a groundout from Bogaerts and striking out both Devers and J.D. Martinez to secure the victory for the Twins by a score of 5-2.
The Twins’ offense was led by Kirilloff, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Donaldson also contributed with two hits, a run scored, and an RBI, while Sano went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Maeda’s dominant performance on the mound was the key to the Twins’ victory, as he was able to shut down the Red Sox’s lineup and keep them off the scoreboard for most of the game.
Overall, it was a strong victory for the Twins, who improved their record to 11-3 on the season. Maeda’s dominant performance on the mound was a promising sign for the Twins, who will need him to continue to pitch at a high level if they hope to make a deep playoff run.