Chris Paddack AP Photo Matt Krohn
By Dave Campbell
MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Paddack pitched six scoreless innings to carry the Minnesota Twins to their 11th consecutive victory, a 5-2 decision over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
The Twins matched win streaks in 2003 and 2006 for their third-longest ever, trailing the club record of 15 straight during its last World Series championship season in 1991. Minnesota won 12 in a row in 1980.
The Twins (18-13) also have the longest winning streak in the major leagues this year. There were only four last season of 10-plus games, topped by Tampa Bay’s 13 straight.
“I felt great out there. I wasn’t going to be the guy that ended the streak. I made it personal out there,” said Paddack, who has been run-free in two of his last three starts. “We’re definitely on a tear right now, and we want to keep the ball rolling.”
Edouard Julien hit a two-out RBI single to give Paddack (3-1) a lead in the third, and the lanky, long-haired right-hander took it from there. He allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one in perhaps his finest start with the Twins, who acquired him in a trade with San Diego at the beginning of the 2022 season. He made just five starts that year and was lost to elbow ligament replacement surgery.
“He’s grinded through Tommy John. He’s grinded through the rehab process,” catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “He’s always looking for ways to get better.”
Red Sox starter Tanner Houck (3-3) completed six innings for the sixth time in seven turns, but he was pulled three batters into the seventh as the Twins broke the game open with a four-run inning.
Julien drew a bases-loaded walk on an automatic ball for a pitch clock violation called on Naoyuki Uwasawa, before Jeffers delivered a two-run double.
The Red Sox were right away on the verge of one of those big innings when Jarren Duran reached on a rare error by shortstop Carlos Correa to start the game and Rafael Devers followed with a double. But Paddack deftly escaped on a strikeout, a popup to Correa and a soft grounder to second base.
“It was a chance to get the lead with one of our best pitchers,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You score one or two there with Tanner Houck on the mound, you feel pretty good.”
Devers hit a two-run double in the eighth to cut the lead to three, but Jhoan Duran worked a perfect ninth inning for his second save. Boston (18-15) struck out 13 times.
The Twins happily returned home from six games on the road that gave them their first undefeated trip of six-plus games in franchise history, toting their lucky summer sausage and a lineup full of hot hitters.
Willi Castro, who scored on Julien’s single in the third, is 3 for 5 in his career against the right-handed Houck with a double and a home run.
Pushing his hitting streak to a career-best nine games, Castro went 2 for 3 with two runs and a sacrifice bunt. He’s slated for regular duty in center field with Byron Buxton on the injured list with knee trouble.
“I don’t think anybody in this clubhouse is counting what number are we on,” Jeffers said. “It’s fun winning baseball games, and we keep doing it and finding different ways to win.”
UP NEXT
The Red Sox have scheduled a bullpen game for Saturday afternoon, with a hole in their injury-ravaged rotation, and LHP Brennan Bernardino (0-1, 0.73 ERA) will start. RHP Pablo López (2-2, 4.83 ERA) will take the mound for the middle game of the series for the Twins.
*Associated Press
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