Red Sox at Twins
The Minnesota Twins remain the only team in the majors without three consecutive losses, a streak they kept intact by prevailing in a 17-inning marathon against the Boston Red Sox. The American League Central-leading Twins will try to avoid their first series loss at home in more than two months when they host Boston in Wednesday night's rubber match of the three-game set.
Max Kepler did not enter Tuesday's contest until the eighth inning but certainly earned his game check with a walk-off single after delivering a stay-alive homer in the 13th and a tying single in the eighth of the 4-3 victory. Eddie Rosario collected four hits, including one of his three doubles during the winning rally to settle the longest game by innings in the history of Target Field. Rafael Devers homered among three hits -- his fifth multiple-hit performance in seven games -- for the Red Sox, who had their season-high six-game winning streak snapped. Boston's bullpen, which used eight relievers to cover the final 11 1/3 innings, blew a pair of saves in the contest to increase its season total to 14.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (7-4, 4.67 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (7-3, 3.70)
Rodriguez matched his longest outing of the season last time out in Baltimore, picking up the victory by holding the Orioles to one run and six hits over seven innings to improve to 3-1 in his last four turns. Consistency has been an issue for the 26-year-old Venezuelan, who has permitted two runs or fewer in seven starts and four runs or more in his other seven outings. Marwin Gonzalez is 3-for-3 with three RBIs off Rodriguez, who owns a 1-1 record and 3.91 ERA in four starts against Minnesota.
Gibson also earned his seventh victory with a superb performance in his last outing, blanking Kansas City on two hits over a season-high eight innings for his third win in four starts. It marked the seventh time in 10 starts that the 31-year-old permitted two runs or fewer and boosted his record at Target Field to 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA over five appearances. Mookie Betts is 6-for-16 with three homers versus Gibson, who posted a 1.93 while splitting two decisions against the Red Sox in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kepler is the only Minnesota player since 2010 to reach safely three times after coming on as a pinch hitter, doing it for the second time Tuesday.
2. Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez was 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in Tuesday's marathon.
3. Minnesota place OF Byron Buxton (wrist) and INF Ehire Adrianza (abdomen) on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday.