Red Sox 6 - 5 Twins
Final
  for this game

Ross homers twice as Boston beats Minnesota

Apr 24, 2012 - 4:57 AM

Video

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Cody Ross' second home run of the game proved to be the difference as Boston opened a three-game set against Minnesota with a 6-5 victory.

Ross hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning and added a go-ahead solo blast in the ninth while Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a two-run shot in the second for the Red Sox, who snapped a five-game losing streak.

Jon Lester went seven innings in the start for Boston and gave up five runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Daniel Bard (1-2) got the win for getting the final two outs of the eighth.

"You need all wins, but this is another good team builder," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said.

Danny Valencia hit a two-run home run and Ryan Doumit added a two-run double for the Twins, who have dropped their past three.

Jason Marquis was tagged for five runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Matt Capps (0-1) suffered the loss for serving up the homer in the ninth.

Capps got the first two outs of the ninth, but Ross got hold of an 0-1 fastball and ripped it over the right-field wall.

"I don't think I've ever seen Cody Ross hit a ball that way," Capps said. "But he put a good swing on it, squared it up well and won the ballgame for them."

Alfredo Aceves then worked around a one-out single in the ninth to pick up his third save of the year.

Boston got on the board in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Adrian Gonzalez and increased its lead to 3-0 in the second on a two-run homer from Saltalamacchia.

Minnesota, though, put up four runs in the fourth to take the lead. With one out, Joe Mauer singled and Josh Willingham followed with a walk. After Justin Morneau struck out, Doumit hit a double to chase home both runners and Valencia followed with a shot over the wall in left-center for a 4-3 lead.

A run-scoring double-play from Jamey Carroll scored Trevor Plouffe in the fifth to give the Twins a 5-3 lead.

Boston answered in the seventh to tie the game as Saltalamacchia hit a one-out single and Ross followed with a blast over the left-field wall for his fourth homer of the season.

Game Notes

Boston took five of seven from Minnesota last season...Ross has 13 RBI on the season...Josh Beckett pitches for Boston on Tuesday, while Nick Blackburn takes the mound for Minnesota.






Related News