Twins at Red Sox
The Minnesota Twins are pulling away in the American League Central and they are doing it the hard way -- by winning away from home in the final month of the season. The surging Twins have won three in a row and nine of 10 overall to open a 6 1/2-game lead atop their division entering the second of a three-game set at the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.
Miguel Sano was 0-for-13 against Boston this season before homering and driving in three runs as Minnesota improved to 7-1 on its 10-game road trip and a major league-best 47-23 away from home. Nelson Cruz also went deep as the Twins built a six-run lead before holding on for a 6-5 victory to keep the Red Sox 5 1/2 games out of the second wild card. Rafael Devers swatted a three-run homer to boost his AL-leading RBI total to 107 for the Red Sox, who have four games against the rival New York Yankees on deck after Minnesota leaves town. Boston, which fell below .500 at Fenway Park with Tuesday's setback, will try to level the series when it sends 16-game winner Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound while the Twins counter with Jose Berrios.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS North (Minnesota), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH José Berríos (11-7, 3.57 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (16-5, 3.97)
Berrios earned his first victory in nearly a month last time out with a quality start at the Chicago White Sox, striking out eight and giving up three runs and seven hits over six innings. It ended a rocky four-start stretch for the 25-year-old Puerto Rican, who had allowed 24 runs and 32 hits, including six home runs, over 21 1/3 innings during the slide. J.D. Martinez is 5-for-14 against Berrios, who lost to Boston despite striking out 10 over eight innings of one-run ball on June 17.
Rodriguez labored last time out but won his third straight start despite lasting only five innings and yielding three runs and nine hits over five innings at Colorado. The 26-year-old Venezuelan was superb in winning each of his previous two turns, tossing seven scoreless innings at San Diego and blanking Baltimore on four hits over 7 1/3 frames. Eddie Rosario is 4-for-7 against Rodriguez, who is 2-1 with a 4.24 versus the Twins after beating them with seven innings of four-run ball on June 19.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cruz needs one homer to tie Joe Carter (396) for 60th on the all-time list.
2. Martinez is 3-for-20 in four games versus Minnesota this season.
3. Twins 2B Luis Arraez is 7-for-13 with three doubles and six runs scored over the past three games.