Harrison Bader hit a go-ahead double off the Green Monster in the eighth inning, and the Minnesota Twins took the weekend series against the Boston Red Sox with a 5-4 victory on Sunday.
"Just staying in my approach, staying in my legs a little bit more and just trying to put a good swing on it for the team," Bader said after the game. "It's a good bounce back for us. Pitching staff did a great job. (Paddack) did a great job, sticking with it, going sixfold, and listen, that's kind of what you want is that level of resiliency. So that's awesome."
Byron Buxton hit a game-opening homer on Garrett Crochet’s first pitch for the Twins, who won consecutive road games for just the second time this season.
"Buck gets it going in a pretty big way and and and hammers one and it's a it's a great start," said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. "Obviously it's a way to fire everyone up and get everyone going, but we followed it through with a lot of other good at-bats throughout the day."
The Red Sox had a scare when a line drive off the bat of Carlos Correa skipped off the glove and nose of ace Garrett Crochet on its way to second base for a groundout. Crochet stayed in the game.
Bader scored on Trevor Larnach’s single after his hit off Justin Slaten (0-3).
Louis Varland (2-3) pitched an inning of scoreless relief and Jhoan Duran worked the ninth for his fourth save, and second in as many days.
Boston had opened a 3-1 edge on Carlos Narváez’s two-run single in the second and Romy Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly an inning later.
Ryan Jeffers’ two-run single tied it in the seventh. Boston's Wilyer Abreu hit a solo homer in the eighth.
The Twins took the middle game of the series Saturday with Kody Clemens hitting a two-run homer in his first career game at Fenway Park with his father, former Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens, in attendance.
Key moment
Crochet appeared to possibly have a small trickle of blood coming out as his blew his right nostril, but he finished the inning. He gave up a run over five with six strikeouts.
Key stat
Minnesota improved to just 6-14 on the road.
Up next
Twins: Off Monday before RHP Pablo López (2-2, 2.25 ERA) is slated to face Orioles LHP Cade Povich (1-2, 5.16) in the first of three at home.