Twins Beat Red Sox 2-1
BOSTON -- Miguel Sano's RBI double in the sixth inning provided just enough offense for the Minnesota Twins in a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park.
Sano was hitless in nine at-bats entering the game before collecting three hits. Brain Dozier added his 17th homer of the year for Minnesota (36-60), which had lost four of seven.
The Twins had 10 hits a night after getting five in a 13-2 blowout loss to the Red Sox in Thursday's series opener.
Twins starter Kyle Gibson (3-6) tossed eight one-run innings for the victory, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out six.
Minnesota's Brandon Kintzler had a rocky ninth, loading the bases with nobody out, but miraculously got out of the jam to post his seventh save of the season.
Mookie Betts reached 20 home runs for the first time in his career for Boston (54-40), which had its season-high-tying seven-game home winning streak snapped.
The Red Sox trail the first-place Baltimore Orioles by a half game in the American League East.
Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4) had a season-high eight strikeouts but took the loss after giving up two runs, six hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings.
Rodriguez was making his first start at Fenway since June 22 and second overall after a two-game stint with Triple-A Pawtucket to work on his mechanics.
Sano's one-out double in the sixth broke a 1-1 tie and put a runner on third, but reliever Robbie Ross Jr. notched the final two outs to limit the damage.
Michael Martinez opened the Red Sox's ninth with an infield single and Dustin Pedroia followed with a single before Xander Bogaerts worked an 11-pitch walk to load the bases.
David Ortiz grounded into a 4-2-3 double play and Hanley Ramirez flied out to right to end the game.
Betts' blast sailed over the Green Monster in left field on the second pitch of the Boston first, giving him leadoff shots in back-to-back games.
It was Betts' seventh career leadoff homer and fifth of 2016, giving the Red Sox at least one home run in 13 consecutive games since July 4.
Boston homered in 22 straight games from April 29 to May 22.
Dozier dinged the Think Energy sign above the Monster on a 2-1 pitch in the Minnesota second to tie the score.
That snapped an 0-for-6 spell and moved him eight homers shy of 100 for his career.
Betts was removed from the game in the top of the fifth with right knee soreness and is day to day. He was replaced in right field by Martinez.
NOTES: Boston activated RHP Junichi Tazawa from the 15-day disabled list and optioned RHP Noe Ramirez to Triple-A Pawtucket. Tazawa missed 12 games with a right shoulder impingement. ... Minnesota C Kurt Suzuki (rest) wasn't in the lineup. "He's always banged up," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. Suzuki should return Saturday. ... Red Sox RHP Koji Uehara (right pectoral strain) received a platelet-rich plasma injection Friday. "That is going to require a little bit of down time to recover from that," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. Uehara went on the DL Wednesday. ... Twins INF Trevor Plouffe (fractured left rib) is throwing from 90 feet and doing light running at Target Field. ... Minnesota RF Max Kepler's mother Kathy and sister Emma watched him play for the first time Thursday at Fenway Park. ... Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.02 ERA) counters Red Sox LHP Price (9-7, 4.36) on Saturday.