Red Sox 11, Twins 2
MINNEAPOLIS -- The struggles of the Minnesota Twins' starting pitchers continued Tuesday, as the Boston Red Sox put on an offensive show, winning 11-2 at Target Field.
Nick Blackburn (0-3) allowed eight hits in three innings. His replacement, Matt Maloney, gave up another eight in less than two innings as the Twins dropped their third in a row.
The Red Sox got 18 hits, improving to 2-0 on their seven-game, seven-day road trip. Mike Aviles tied a career best with four hits, including two doubles and a solo home run, and Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-3 with three runs.
Josh Beckett (2-2) labored early but settled down, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out five in six innings.
Minnesota's starting pitchers are now a collective 2-10 for the season and have allowed 122 hits, which is the most in baseball.
Boston hit Blackburn early and often in the first inning, taking a 3-0 lead when five of their first six batters got a hit.
Aviles sent the third pitch of the game to the wall for a double. Two pitches later, he was back in the dugout, as Ryan Sweeney's RBI single brought Aviles home.
David Ortiz added an RBI single in the inning, and Cody Ross' bases-loaded groundout scored another run.
Beckett had his own struggles early, needing 37 pitches to get through the first inning but allowing only one run.
After Jamey Carroll reached on a fielder's choice, Beckett walked Joe Mauer, Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau to give the Twins their first run. Beckett traded harsh words with plate umpire Adrian Johnson as he left the field after retiring Ryan Doumit and Danny Valencia to leave the bases loaded.
Boston added two more in the third, when Blackburn walked Gonzalez, then gave up a 429-foot homer to right by David Ortiz. Blackburn, who had missed his previous start due to right shoulder tightness, was lifted at the end of the third after giving up eight hits and five runs.
Matt Maloney came on in relief for the Twins and fared no better, as the Red Sox tacked on two in the fourth, including a solo homer by Aviles, and three more in the fifth to lead 10-1.
Minnesota got one back in the fifth. Denard Span doubled but was retired at third on a fielder's choice, with Carroll reaching second. Willingham's double down the left field line scored Carroll.
NOTES: The first-inning single and third-inning homer by Ortiz gave him 28 hits for the season, which is the most through 16 games in Red Sox history for a left-handed hitter. ... The Twins will call up Ben Revere from Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, when left fielder Josh Willingham will take a paternity leave from the team. Willingham's wife, Ginger, is expecting the couple's third child. ... After starting above .500 after 15 games in 13 consecutive seasons (1997-2009), the Red Sox were sub-.500 after 15 games for the third season in a row.
