BOSTON (AP) — Jarren Duran lined one ball of Kenta Maeda’s ankle to knock Minnesota’s starter from the game and in the next inning sent another ball off the Green Monster to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 11-5 victory over Minnesota on Thursday.
Maeda (0-3) allowed a home run to Alex Verdugo to lead off the bottom of the first and left trailing 1-0 after taking Duran’s 111 mph line drive off his left ankle for the last out of the second inning.
Emilio Pagan relieved Maeda and gave up five straight hits, including Duran’s double, as Boston opened a 7-0 lead.
Tanner Houck (3-0) scattered four hits over his first six innings but gave up Willi Castro’s two-run homer in the seventh. He also took Jose Miranda’s line drive off his left foot in he seventh but remained in the game. In all, Houck allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out seven in seven innings — the longest start of his career.
Minnesota loaded the bases in the ninth when Edouard Julien singled to center, scoring one run. But Max Kepler was caught taking too big of a turn at third base and was thrown out for the final out.
Kike Hernandez had three hits for Boston, and Duran drove in three runs. Yu Chang, who was reinstated from the paternity list earlier in the day, hit a two-run homer as the Red Sox added three in the fifth to make it 10-1.
Every batter in the Red Sox starting lineup had at least one hit.
STARTING OUT
Maeda, who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, managed to stay on his feet after he was hit by Duran’s liner. He retrieved the ball and threw Duran out, then crumpled to the grass.
The Twins training staff rushed out to help him. After a few minutes, he walked off to the dugout. The team said he had a left ankle bruise and was receiving X-rays.
MOPPING UP
Castro, who played most of the game at third base, pitched in the eighth inning and got Hernandez out on a grounder to second. Castro’s first three pitches were 45, 41, and 44 mph before he threw one 75 mph for a ball and then ended it on a 44 mph pitch credited as a slider.
UP NEXT
Twins: Visit Washington for the start of a three-game series on Friday. RHP Tyler Mahle (1-2) will face RHP Trevor Williams (1-1) in the opener.
Red Sox: Open a three-game series in Baltimore on Friday. RHP Nick Pivetta (0-1) faces RHP Freddy Peralta (2-1).
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