The Minnesota Twins powered up late for a series-opening win and will seek to take two games in a row from the host Boston Red Sox when the teams continue their three-game set on Saturday afternoon.
Minnesota rallied from 4-0 and 6-3 deficits to win 8-6 on Friday, as Byron Buxton and Austin Martin each hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
“I was jazzed up about the fact that we were able to battle back,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “We did a nice job. Total team victory. (Rookie pitcher Connor Prielipp), for the first time, struggled with his command a little bit, but we just continued to go.”
Shelton’s club has won eight of its last 12 games. Nine of its 24 victories this season have come in come-from-behind fashion.
Buxton started the late surge back with his 11th homer in an 18-game span. Martin snapped a 0-for-17 slump with the eventual go-ahead home run, ultimately recording his ninth multi-hit game of 2026.
“Right when you think we’re out of it, we’re not,” Martin said. “We just continue to put together good ABs, pitchers continue to attack the zone, and we continue to make plays on the field. … It was a great win, but we’ve got work to do (Saturday).”
Friday was a 2-for-5 night for both home-run hitters and also featured the MLB debut of outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez, who had a hit, scored a run and walked twice. He was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul and immediately played with infielder Tristan Gray on the paternity list.
Four consecutive one-out hits in the first inning led to a 4-0 start, but the Red Sox managed just three the rest of the way and had their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday.
Wilyer Abreu (fifth multi-hit performance in nine games) and Nick Sogard both had multiple hits in the loss.
After Payton Tolle struck out nine across the first six innings, Minnesota slugged the game-winning runs off reliever Justin Slaten, who had not been charged with an earned run through his first nine appearances this season.
“Just one of those nights. I’ve been feeling really good, but tonight just didn’t have my stuff,” Slaten said. “It’s the game we play; sometimes you just got to go out there and battle with what you got, and it just didn’t go my way tonight.”
Before Friday’s game, it was announced that Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story had sports hernia surgery that is expected to sideline him for six to 10 weeks. According to interim manager Chad Tracy, Marcelo Mayer could slide from second base to shortstop for Sunday’s series finale.
“There’s a little bit more work (infield coach Jose David Flores) wants to do with him, but I definitely think you’ll see more of him (at shortstop),” Tracy said of Mayer. “Does that mean he’ll play there every single day? Maybe not, but we’re definitely going to explore that.”
Neither team’s Saturday starter officially was announced before the series, but Minnesota right-hander Taj Bradley (4-1, 2.87 ERA) is expected to be activated from the injured list (right pec inflammation) for his first outing since May 5.
Bradley is 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox.
Boston will start left-hander Jovani Moran (0-1, 2.81 ERA) as an opener for right-hander Brayan Bello (2-5, 7.16).
Bello allowed seven runs on eight hits over five innings in an 8-1 loss Sunday to the Atlanta Braves. He had thrown 13 1/3 innings of two-run ball while following an opener in his previous two starts. He is 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA in three career starts vs. the Twins.
–Field Level Media
