Red Sox 5 - 1 Twins
Final
  for this game

Red Sox finish off sweep of Twins

May 20, 2013 - 4:44 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Dustin Pedroia clubbed a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, while John Lackey spun six stellar innings of one-hit ball to help the Boston Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 5-1 win Sunday at Target Field.

Lackey (2-4) struck out five without walking a batter and allowed just one unearned run to halt a personal three-game skid in his 300th career start.

"I definitely wanted to go at least another inning," Lackey said. "I was definitely frustrated not to keep going, but the bullpen came in a did a great job, and winning the game is really all that matters."

Pedroia also scored twice and singled in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, while Will Middlebrooks scorched a solo shot in the second for the Red Sox, who have won five straight games.

Pedro Hernandez (2-1) was touched for three runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 frames to absorb the loss.

"It's frustrating," Hernandez said. "I've faced this team three times and they've beat me three times."

Trevor Plouffe registered two of Minnesota's five hits and scored the lone run in the Twins' fifth straight setback.

Middlebrooks' blast gave the visitors a 1-0 lead before Boston doubled its edge in the third.

Shane Victorino worked a one-out walk and moved to third on Jonny Gomes' single to center. Pedroia then ripped a grounder to third where Plouffe tried to start an inning-ending double-play, but his throw was off the mark and allowed Victorino to score for a 2-0 advantage.

The Red Sox scored again in the fifth, when Pedroia and David Ortiz smacked consecutive one-out singles before Mike Napoli followed with a base hit of his own to score Pedroia and make it 3-0.

Lackey kept the Twins off the basepaths over the first four frames, but served up a leadoff double to Plouffe in the fifth.

After plunking Oswaldo Arcia, Lackey fanned Wilkin Ramirez and then got Chris Parmelee to ground one to second. Pedroia made the play on Parmelee's grounder and threw to second to start a potential inning-ending double-play, but Pedro Ciriaco's relay throw to first was off the mark and Plouffe crossed the plate to bring the Twins within 3-1.

After a three-hour rain delay in the middle of the seventh, the Twins threatened again the eighth, as Ramirez ripped a leadoff double for the team's second hit of the game. Pedro Florimon kept the inning alive with a two-out walk and Jamey Carroll followed with a single to left to load the bases, but Koji Uehara fanned Joe Mauer to escape the threat.

Pedroia then padded Boston's lead with a two-run shot to left in the ninth to make it 5-1.

Game Notes

Mauer went 0-for-4 to end his 15-game hitting streak ... Boston went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base ... Minnesota finished 1- for-9 with RISP and stranded six baserunners ... The series sweep was Boston's fourth of the season, eclipsing the team's mark from all of last season (3) ... The Twins finished a nine-game homestand at 2-7.






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