Pablo López pitched well, striking out eight batters in six innings, while Max Kepler hit a home run, helping the Minnesota Twins secure a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
With this win, the Twins now have the longest winning streak in the majors this season. Their current streak matches a previous one from the late 1980 season, which is the second-longest in Twins history. The record for consecutive wins is 15, achieved in June 1991, which was the last season Minnesota won the World Series.
“It’s been enjoyable, and I think you’re not seeing guys trying to do more than we know what to do. That’s always the most important thing,” López commented.
Kepler and Willi Castro both had two hits, while Carlos Correa contributed two RBIs. Closer Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the middle of the Red Sox order, and Cole Sands closed the game with a scoreless final inning, earning his second save.
“It might have been unexpected to see Cole closing the game from the outside, but the coaching staff having confidence in all of us is great,” reliever Steven Okert noted.
Wilyer Abreu and Dominic Smith each had two hits for Boston, which has now lost three consecutive games. Kepler hit a home run off Cam Booser in the fourth inning. Booser was the third pitcher used in a bullpen game.
Castro singled at the start of the sixth inning, moved to third base on two wild pitches by Justin Slaten, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Correa, giving the Twins a 3-1 lead.
After needing brief attention from trainers in the second inning for a collision while covering first base, López allowed five hits and struck out seven of the last 12 batters he faced.
“To string together a series of good games, you need pitchers to step up and lead the way. Pablo was outstanding today,” manager Rocco Baldelli remarked. “No one wants to be the one to end the winning streak. I just went with the flow and let the momentum carry me,” López stated.
López struck out Rafael Devers with a high fastball to end the fifth inning with the tying run on third base. Devers, who had shown frustration with the umpire earlier in the at-bat, expressed his disappointment after the strikeout.
“When you’re at the plate and you get a close call against you, it can throw off your game plan. But you have to keep battling and stay focused,” Devers commented through an interpreter.
