Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox: Pelfrey Outduels Buchholz
Monday during the first game of the series, the Twins scored in the first inning. Tonight, more of the same. This time they were the only the runs scored in the game for the Twins. Boston did answer back with one of their own in the second inning but it was not enough. Twins closed it out with a final score of 2-1.
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After an hour and twenty minute rain delay the game finally started. In the bottom of the first inning Trevor Plouffe and Kurt Suzuki lined 2-out RBIs to but the Twins up. For Plouffe it was his 26 of the season which ties him with Joe Mauer for second on the team.
Pelfrey gave up a run in the top of the second inning on a softly hit single by Mike Napoli. From then on, defense ruled the game. Mike Pelfrey and Clay Buchholz both pitched at least seven innings. Pelfrey scattered five hits and only walked one in 7 innings of work. Both pitchers avoided any big innings by getting key defensive plays behind them.
Both teams combined to turn 4 double-plays. For the Red Sox, Rusney Castillo made two excellent diving catches in right field and Xander Bogaerts made a bare hand grab while charging in to nab Aaron Hicks of a base-hit. For the Twins, Plouffe made his presence known in the field by making a nice play on softly hit ball and Suzuki made an important play on a bunt later in the game.
Glen Perkins entered to the game in the eighth to get a four out save giving up only one hit. It was his 17 save of the season. Pelfrey earned win number 4 on the year. The win puts the Twins in position for a sweep tomorrow. They are now 27-18 and closing in on the Royals who lost to the Yankees earlier today.
Don’t let the Red Sox record fool you, they are still a good team with a dangerous line-up that can produce on any given night. Pelfrey really had to outduel Buchholz in this one. It was the pitching performance the Twins have been getting lately on their winning spree. This has to continue if they want to keep winning close games like these. One-run games will dictate how a team fairs down the stretch, so it is important to win as many as possible, even if it still is May.