The Minnesota Twins fell 7-2 to the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Alan Roden's 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI effort at the plate, the Twins could not overcome a sizable deficit. On the mound, Zebby Matthews turned in a solid outing, working 5.0 innings of scoreless ball with one strikeout. The Sox out-hit the Twins 10-8 on the day. The Twins will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Alan Roden was the key contributor at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. The ability to drive the ball into the gaps stood out. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Twins offense.
Brooks Lee chipped in, going 1-for-4, Luke Keaschall added to the attack, going 1-for-3, and Eric Wagaman provided support, going 1-for-1. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Jason Delay led the Sox offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI day. Braiden Ward also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Kristian Campbell added a 1-for-1 with an RBI effort as well. The Sox offense proved to be too much for the Twins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Zebby Matthews took the loss after pitching effectively, working 5.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 4 hits with one strikeout. He threw 75 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 2.3 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out three. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Noah Song recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Matt Bowman stood out with 1.1 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Sox got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. The Twins answered with a run in the third. Sox responded with a run in the sixth. Sox pushed across a run in the seventh. Sox plated three runs in the eighth. The Twins answered with a run in the ninth. The Sox were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Sox out-hit the Twins 10-8, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 9,205 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Twins will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.