MINNEAPOLIS — Rick Porcello found himself in an unfamiliar situation Saturday: pitching with a lead.
At last the Red Sox scored a run – 10 of them, in fact – with Porcello on the mound, and the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner got to cruise all afternoon as Boston beat Minnesota, 11-1.
“Finally, we scored for him,” Manager John Farrell said. “I think the first time in almost a month since he’s been on the mound, which, that’s pretty remarkable in its own right.”
After equaling his 2016 loss total in less than a month, Porcello pitched seven sharp innings and won his first start since Opening Day. Chris Young homered twice, Dustin Pedroia had a three-run double and Sandy Leon added a late solo shot for Boston, which began the day with the third-fewest RBI in the American League.
“It was awesome,” Porcello said. “We exploded. The bats came alive there, obviously. (Young) starting off with the home run and the offense just rolled.”
The Red Sox hadn’t scored for Porcello (2-4) in his last four starts, negating an impressive stretch in which he posted a 1.83 ERA over three outings and tossed quality starts in five of his six starts. This time the right-hander gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked none.
“Just try to keep the same mindset, regardless of what the score is,” Porcello said. “I’m looking to get the same results either way.”
Robbie Grossman’s homer off Porcello in the third accounted for Minnesota’s only run.
Boston took advantage of a costly Twins error and scored eight two-out runs in the second.
Nick Tepesch (0-1) gave up seven runs – six unearned – in his first major league appearance since last June, and his second since the 2014 season.
After Young’s solo shot in the second, Tepesch was one out from escaping with a runner on when shortstop Jorge Polanco bobbled Josh Rutledge’s routine grounder. Mookie Betts walked to load the bases for Pedroia, who followed with his double to left-center, and the Red Sox were well on their way to their most lopsided win of the season.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen two outs, two strikes, 0-2 count, nobody on base and then get eight runs,” Twins Manager Paul Molitor said. “It’s just one of those oddities of the game that when it goes against you it hurts a lot because you do think about what might have been.”
NOTES: Twins reliever Michael Tonkin was designated for assignment after the game. He gave up Leon’s homer in the ninth and walked three batters. “He’s provided value along the way, and just encourage him to look at this as an opportunity even though there’s a lot of frustration, I’m sure,” Molitor said.
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