Kepler, Mejia help Twins beat Red Sox 4-1
BOSTON (AP) - Adalberto Mejia pitched 5 2/3 innings in his second straight scoreless start, Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins rebounded from two consecutive losses against Boston to beat the Red Sox 4-1 on Wednesday night.
Kepler also had an RBI single, and Miguel Sano added an RBI double to help the Twins improve to 24-11 on the road.
Mejia (3-3) allowed five hits, struck out three and walked one. On Friday night at Cleveland, the rookie left-hander held the Indians to two hits over five innings in a victory.
Brandon Kintzler got the final three outs for his 21st save.
Boston starter Rick Porcello (4-10) gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, striking out six and walking two. It was his 14th straight start going at least six innings, the AL's longest active streak.
Red Sox manager John Farrell was back in the dugout after serving a one-game suspension Tuesday for poking umpire Bill Miller in the chest during an argument Saturday.
With Minnesota leading 2-0 in the sixth, Kepler lined his homer off the back of Boston's bullpen.
In the first, the Twins scored a pair of two-out runs when Sano hit his RBI double down the third-base line and scored on Kepler's broken-bat single.
Xander Bogaerts drove in Boston's run with a bases-loaded grounder in the seventh.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: LHP Glen Perkins resumed throwing Tuesday after a setback last week following offseason shoulder surgery. Manager Paul Molitor said the club is still formulating a plan for him. He's been sidelined all season and pitched in just two games last year.
Red Sox: DH Hanley Ramirez missed his third straight game after getting hit by a pitch on the left knee Sunday. "He'll go through a full workday today - on the field BP," Farrell said. "He's feeling improved."
MATCHES OWN RECORD
Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia played his 98th consecutive error-less game, matching the best mark in club history he set for a second baseman from 2009-10.
LOOKS FAMILIAR
This season has started like 2015 for Porcello, the AL's reigning Cy Young Award winner.
Two years ago when he struggled badly, the righty lost nine of his initial 13 decisions and finished 9-15 with a 4.92 ERA.
ROSTER MOVE
Minnesota right-hander Phil Hughes was activated from the 10-day disabled list and LHP Craig Breslow was put on with rib cage soreness.
Hughes had been on the DL since complaining of a "dead feeling" in his pitching shoulder on May 21. He allowed one run in three innings during three rehabilitation appearances in Triple-A.
Molitor plans to use him out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (4-5, 6.23 ERA) looks to continue his success in Fenway Park in the series finale Thursday. He's allowed only one run over 15 innings in two career starts.
Red Sox: LHP David Price (2-2, 4.76) has won his last five decisions against Minnesota, posting a 1.84 ERA.