Twins 9, Red Sox 2
Scott Baker threw eight strong innings, Denard Span and Danny Valencia each drove in two runs and the Minnesota Twins ended a seven-game losing streak at Fenway Park with a 9-2 victory over the weary Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Recent call-up Trevor Plouffe homered for Minnesota, which has matched its season high of three straight wins as it tries to rebound from a franchise-worst 9-17 April.
Baker (2-2) allowed two runs and seven hits and struck out eight in his longest outing of the season, while getting some much-welcomed support from the Twins’ anemic offense. Minnesota registered its best offensive output since a 10-3 triumph over Cleveland on April 23. It came in an unexpected setting, too, since the Twins had been outscored 51-18 during its skid in Boston.
Minnesota jumped all over spot starter Tim Wakefield (0-1), sending eight hitters to the plate in a three-run second and breaking the game open with four runs in the fifth.
Boston was forced to turn to the 44-year-old Wakefield after its scheduled starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka, was used in relief during Wednesday’s 13-inning rain-delayed loss to Los Angeles that ended at 2:45 a.m.
Adrian Gonzalez and J.D. Drew homered, and Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 15 games for Boston, which has lost three straight. Red Sox manager Terry Francona was ejected while arguing a balk in the second inning.