I’m excited to watch Game 18 between the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox. The Twins are coming off a tough loss against the Oakland Athletics and will be looking to regain their momentum in this game. The Red Sox, on the other hand, have been playing well and are currently leading the AL East. I’m particularly interested in seeing the matchup between pitchers Michael Pineda and Martin Perez of the Twins against the Red Sox’s potent lineup. It should be a great game!
The Matchup
In Game 18 of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins travelled to Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox. The Twins were coming off a series win against the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Red Sox were looking to bounce back after dropping their last game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox Come out Swinging
The Red Sox wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Leadoff man, Kiké Hernández, singled on the first pitch of the game and was followed by a double from Alex Verdugo. With runners on second and third, J.D. Martinez drove in Hernández with a sacrifice fly, giving the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead.
Boston wasn’t done yet. After a walk to Xander Bogaerts and a single from Rafael Devers, Hunter Renfroe hit a three-run home run to left field, giving the Red Sox a 4-0 lead after just one inning of play.
The Twins Fight Back
The Twins looked to respond in the top of the second inning. After a single from Max Kepler and a walk to Willians Astudillo, Miguel Sanó hit a towering home run to left field, cutting the Red Sox lead to just one run.
Minnesota continued their comeback in the third inning. After a leadoff single from Luis Arraez, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run home run to left field, giving the Twins their first lead of the game. The Twins added another run in the inning thanks to an RBI single from Kepler, extending their lead to 6-4.
The Red Sox Battle Back
Boston refused to go down without a fight. In the bottom of the third inning, with runners on first and second, Verdugo hit a two-run double to right field, tying the game at six runs apiece.
In the fourth inning, the Red Sox took the lead back. Hernández led off the inning with a solo home run to center field, putting the Red Sox up 7-6.
The Red Sox added to their lead in the fifth inning. With runners on first and second, Verdugo hit his third double of the game, driving in two runs and extending the Red Sox lead to 9-6.
The Twins Keep It Close
Despite being down by three runs, the Twins continued to fight back. In the top of the sixth inning, with runners on first and third, Kepler hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Byron Buxton from third.
The Twins’ bullpen held the Red Sox scoreless from the fifth inning on, giving the team a chance to mount a comeback.
In the top of the eighth inning, with two outs and a runner on first base, Kepler hit his third double of the game, driving in a run and cutting the Red Sox lead to just one run.
The Twins Fall Short
Unfortunately for the Twins, their comeback attempt fell short. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, Devers hit a two-run double to left field, giving the Red Sox some breathing room with an 11-8 lead.
The Twins were unable to mount another comeback in the ninth inning, as Red Sox closer Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless inning to earn the save.
The Final Score
In an exciting back-and-forth game, the Red Sox came out on top, defeating the Minnesota Twins by a final score of 11-8.
Player of the Game: Alex Verdugo
Alex Verdugo was the standout player of the game, going 4-for-5 with three doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored. The 24-year-old outfielder has been one of the Red Sox’ most consistent hitters in the early part of the season, batting .298 with a .354 on-base percentage and a .438 slugging percentage.
The Takeaway
This game showcased the power and resilience of both teams. The Twins fought back from an early four-run deficit to take the lead, but the Red Sox showed their own resiliency by battling back and ultimately coming out on top.
It was also a game of offensive firepower, with both teams combining for 19 runs on 29 hits. The Red Sox’ five doubles and two home runs helped them grab the win, but the Twins’ six doubles and two home runs kept them in the game until the very end.
As both teams continue on in this long and grueling season, this game serves as a reminder that anything can happen on any given day in the world of Major League Baseball.
