MINNEAPOLIS — Added to the starting lineup late, Christian Arroyo had a career-high five hits and drove in four runs, and Kutter Crawford pitched five scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in a 10-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Adam Duvall and Arroyo hit solo homers in the fourth to start the scoring, and Masataka Yoshida added a two-run shot in the eighth. Arroyo also hit a three-run double as part of a five-run seventh for Boston, which has outscored opponents 50-18 during a six-game win streak.
Arroyo wasn’t in the original starting lineup but was inserted when shortstop Pablo Reyes was scratched just before the start of the game with right abdominal soreness.
Crawford (2-3) gave up just six hits and struck out five. Corey Kluber allowed four runs on three homers but pitched the final three innings for his first career save.
Bailey Ober (4-4) surrendered three runs on eight hits in six innings for Minnesota, which has lost 5 of 6 and fell to a season-worst two games under .500 (36-38). .
Byron Buxton, who snapped an 0-for-24 skid with a single in the second, hit a two-run homer in the eighth. Royce Lewis and Max Kepler added solo homers in the ninth.
NOTES: Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck is scheduled to have surgery next week to insert a plate to help a facial fracture heal after he was hit by a batted ball.
Houck was hit below the right eye by a line drive from the New York Yankees’ Kyle Higashioka on Friday night. The 26-year-old right-hander saw a doctor Tuesday and it was determined a plate was needed.
Boston Manager Alex Cora said the outcome was a “best-case scenario” for Houck because he was hit below the eye and temple. Cora said he envisions Houck returning to pitch this season.
“Sounds bad, right? Fracture,” Cora said. “But the fact that he knows he’s going to be part of this, it’s good. It’s the best news we can get.”
Cora said there’s currently no timetable for Houck’s return.
Houck received stitches after the incident and was checked at a hospital after he walked off the mound on his own with a towel covering his bleeding face. He’s 3-6 with 5.05 ERA this season, making 13 starts.
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