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After taking three straight close losses to conclude a four-game series in Cleveland, the Minnesota Twins hope to recover with ace Joe Ryan on the mound against the host Boston Red Sox in the opener of a three-game set on Friday.

The current skid followed the Twins’ three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels last weekend, with Ryan (2-2, 3.18 ERA) striking out 11 across seven scoreless innings in the series finale on Sunday.

On Thursday, Minnesota outhit the Guardians 13-6 — led by Ty France and Harrison Bader with 3-for-5 games — but fell 4-3 in 10 innings. The Twins have allowed a total of just 10 runs during their three-game skid.

“If I had that answer (about what we’re doing wrong), we’d be scoring a lot more runs,” France said.

As for Ryan, a dominant four-seam fastball helped him finish one shy of his career high in strikeouts and generate a total of 26 swings and misses.

“When he’s throwing the ball the way he was (on Sunday), you really see that effect,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s a really good pitch that he can always have in his back pocket in any situation, and he locates it well, too.”

Ryan pitched scoreless ball in two of his past four outings, and he has been consistent all season long as evidenced by striking out 39 and walking only four through six starts.

“It’s no secret that Joe has one of the best fastballs in the game,” catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “It’s been that way since he’s been in the big leagues.”

Ryan is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five career starts against Boston.

The Red Sox are on a skid of their own, having lost leads in back-to-back games to drop their three-game series in Toronto this week. Both Tanner Houck and Lucas Giolito delivered quality starts, combining to strike out 13 and allow just four runs in 13 innings.

Houck permitted just one run on four hits in seven innings on Thursday, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s three-run home run off Justin Slaten in the eighth lifted the Blue Jays to a 4-2 win.

“That’s part of baseball, right?” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We had two of our best relievers on the mound (the past two days, Slaten and Garrett Whitlock), and it didn’t happen.”

The Red Sox managed only seven hits on Thursday, with Alex Bregman’s two-run double the team’s only breakthrough and only extra-base hit. Boston hitters struck out 10 times, reaching a double-digit total in a game for the 18th time already this season.

After finishing 3-3 on their road trip to Cleveland and Toronto, the Red Sox head home just a game above .500 (17-16).

Boston will give the ball Friday to Brayan Bello (2-0, 3.27 ERA). The right-hander is looking to continue a strong run since returning from a season-opening stint on the injured list caused by a right shoulder strain.

Bello was moved up in the rotation due to Walker Buehler returning to Boston on Thursday to have his sore right shoulder tested. Buehler won each of his past three starts, but the timing of his next start is now uncertain.

“We’ll see where we’re at (with Buehler) over the weekend,” Cora said. “He hasn’t bounced back the way we wanted, so we have to wait.”

Bello, 25, worked six innings of three-run ball in his Sunday start against the Guardians, following up on a win over the Seattle Mariners in his season debut.

“After those first five (innings he threw on April 22), I feel so good for him,” Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez said. “Because we’re going to need him this season.”

Bello’s lone start against Minnesota came in 2022. He allowed three runs on five hits over four-plus innings in a 4-2 road loss.

Star Boston rookie second baseman/center fielder Kristian Campbell was scratched from the lineup on Thursday due to right rib discomfort.

–Field Level Media