Twins break out the bats in win over Red Sox
BOSTON >> Corey Kluber is a two-time Cy Young Award winner and a three-time all-star. For a period of years, he was one of the game’s most dominant starters. But while his name still carries weight around the game, the Kluber the Twins saw on Wednesday isn’t the same pitcher he once was.
The Twins ambushed Kluber, scoring seven runs off of him in a blowout 10-4 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
Rookie Edouard Julien hit his second major league home run, a two-run shot, which helped the Twins open up a three-run lead before Joe Ryan even stepped foot on the mound. And two innings later, first baseman Joey Gallo announced his return in a big way. Gallo, who singled in his first at-bat, hit a towering blast to right field, bringing home three more runs.
By the time the top of the third inning was over, Ryan — the beneficiary of a nine-run Twins first inning in his last start — was working with a seven-run lead.
The offense didn’t quit after Kluber left. Trevor Larnach joined in with a three-run home run in the sixth inning.
It was a promising day at the plate for the Twins. Byron Buxton snapped an 0-for-15 skid — most of those outs strikeouts — with a first-inning double. Julien finished with three hits. Larnach drove in a team-leading four runs.
The offensive outburst meant the lead was never in doubt throughout Ryan’s start, which lasted six innings. The right-hander gave up three scattered runs before making way for rookie Brent Headrick, who picked up a save for his three-inning effort in his major league debut. Headrick was perfect through his first two innings before running into some trouble and giving up a run.
